Galileo is prepares for the upcoming operational declaration of OSNMA

The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has successfully completed testing of the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) and is preparing for its operational launch.

Galileo, like other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), plays a crucial role in various sectors, including transportation, finance, telecommunications, IT, energy, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare, emergency services, and law enforcement. However, the increase in spoofing attacks that can disrupt these services has led to the development of OSNMA. This new capability, implemented by EUSPA in collaboration with the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to enhance the security of GNSS signals.

The OSNMA Public Observation phase began in November 2021, marked by the release of the Signal in Space Interface Control Document (SIS ICD) and Receiver Guidelines, which enabled early testing of OSNMA receivers globally. Since then, users have reported high stability and performance of the OSNMA signal transmitted by Galileo satellites.

In December 2022, EUSPA and the EC published the OSNMA SIS ICD and Receiver Guidelines for the service phase, with further updates provided between October 2023 and January 2024. Additionally, the OSNMA Internet Data Distribution (IDD) ICD was released in July 2023 and updated in January 2024, alongside the operational cryptographic material. The OSNMA signal has been transmitted in accordance with these specifications since August 2023.

EUSPA reports that testing by industry and public entities has confirmed the service’s readiness, with the latest cryptographic material published in January 2024. This material and the necessary certificates are accessible through the EUSPA and GSC websites for the Initial Service provision phase.

Testing activities wrapped up in early June 2024, which included the execution of cryptographic keychain renewal and revocation processes. The program is now poised to declare the OSNMA Initial Service, which will involve an EC communication, the release of the OSNMA Service Definition Document (SDD), and the transition of the OSNMA Status Flag from “test” to “operational.” This process mirrors the approach used for the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) Declaration in 2023. EUSPA will soon issue a dedicated Galileo Service Notice to announce the conclusion of the Public Observation Phase testing activities.

www.euspa.europa.eu