Raytheon completed preliminary test for GAGAN
Raytheon Company, UK successfully completed the Preliminary System Acceptance Test for the GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation- Technology Demonstration System (GAGAN-TDS). “This test was significant because the GAGAN-TDS ground elements supplied by Raytheon were installed and integrated ahead of schedule,” said Andy Zogg, Vice President of Raytheon’s Airspace Management and Homeland Security Business. “More importantly, the system functioned properly and exceeded the accuracy requirements.
The GAGAN-TDS network monitors the Global Positioning Satellite signals for errors and then generates correction messages to improve the accuracy of endusers’ position solution.
During the test period, average accuracy was better than one meter (3.3 feet) horizontally and only slightly more than one meter vertically, thus surpassing the 7.6 meter (25 feet) requirement by a significant margin. GAGAN-TDS is the first phase of a project sponsored by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) to implement a space-based navigation system in Indian airspace. www.prnewswire.com

Google offers live traffic maps on cell phones
Google has announced that it is offering mobile phone users to view highway maps with live traffic data. Available initially in 30 U.S. cities, Google Maps for mobile will show traffic, with road conditions highlighted in three colors: red means congested, yellow & orange means slowdowns and green for open traffic. The service combines satellite imagery, directions, and traffic data – – completely free. One can check out the service by going to http://google. com/gmm on mobile phone. Currently,
it’s only available in the U.S. market.

Trimble tracks Galileo GIOVEA test satellite signal
Trimble has announced that it has successfully acquired and tracked the L1 BOC (1,1) Galileo GIOVE-A test satellite signal using a combined GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo prototype receiver. In addition to tracking the test satellite, Trimble has also announced that its Zephyr Geodetic II antenna is compatible with all current or planned GPS and GLONASS frequencies and the planned Galileo signals now. www.trimble.com

Galileo already over budget
Galileo Joint Undertaking, the organisation leading European development of a global satellite navigation system, has admitted it is already €404 million ($513 million) over budget, mainly due to miscalculating the cost of building and launching two technology pathfinder spacecraft, the first of which, GIOVE-A, was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in December. The total budget for the Galileo programme, which will comprise 30 operational satellites, will be about €4.5 billion, of which €1.5 billion has already been spent. Initially, a foursatellite constellation of operational spacecraft will be launched.
www.flightglobal.com

INDUSTRY | LBS | GPS | GIS | REMOTE SENSING | GALILEO UPDATE

Galileo – the European Programme for Global Navigation …

602 series of Nikon total stations
Nikon-Trimble Co. introduced the 602 Series of Nikon® Total Stations, new high-precision mechanical total stations that includes both a prism and prismless (reflectorless) model. It also added a reflectorless model to Nikon 502 Series. The new Nikon products are expected to be available soon through Tripod Data Systems (TDS) in the United States and Trimble
internationally. www.nikon-trimble.com

Personal navigation most profitable LBS in Europe
Berg Insight made the survey among LBS professionals at mobile operators, vendors and consultancies. There were two sets of questions asked to the 200 respondents, one to operators and another set to vendors and consultancies. We asked the operators which LBS applications they already have deployed and got the reply that the most common services today are information services. On second and third place came navigation services and tracking. We also asked the operators which positioning technology they think will be the most important the coming years. The majority, 65 percent, replied a combination of two or more technologies, while 35 percent said A-GPS. It is obvious that satellite positioning is coming up as a preferred technology among operators in Europe.www.lbsinsight.com

$2.4 million for satellite imaging
Mr. Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a five-year, $2.4-million project to provide access to new, high-quality satellite images of Canada and also the improved and standardized satellite images will be available to all Canadians for free over the Internet.
The newer and higher-quality images will be used for mapping, monitoring Canadian wetland areas and managing natural resources, and will support government decision and policy makers in the fields of public safety, health and the environment, as well as our northern and Aboriginal communities. Natural Resources Canada will coordinate and manage the project, ensure the quality of the data and liaise with the contractors, TELUS Corporation and Iunctus Geomatics Corp., who are supplying the satellite images.
www.NRCan.gc.ca

Geospatial industry poised for growth
Information systems alone, based on maps and satellite imagery is set to touch Rs 576 crore by 2010. At present, the market estimates for these services are Rs 12 crore. The optimism is based on the current growth rates of around 200 per cent and the huge potential. Geospatial Today and Spatial India, geospatial publications in association with Antrix Corporation and Survey of India, have brought out the report. According to the highlights of the report, the domestic market estimates for these geospatial services amounted to about Rs 562 crore in the financial year 2005. The market for these services is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.57 per cent per annum and reach Rs 1,824.98 crore by year 2010. The key driver for this increased growth is the expected investments in land information systems (ILIS) in several states of the country. It also provides an optimistic overview in as much as the total market in our country (domestic and exports markets) is expected to record a potential growth from Rs 962 crore in the year 2005 to Rs 2,820.30 crore at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent. India has emerged as a major data conversion centre for geospatial services. In FY 2005, this sector marked Rs 720 crore with an expected growth rate of 20 per cent.
www.blonnet.com

Indonesian military plane to map quake-hit areas
The Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) have assigned a CN-235 airplane to carry out aerial photography on areas in the Yogyakarta region affected by 27 May 5.9-magnitude earthquake. The activity is aimed at making a detailed map of areas devastated by the quake.
TNI had also sent a Hercules C-130 plane carrying a TNI field medical team and three helicopters to evacuate victims.http://news.xinhuanet.com