GNSS

FCC launches proceeding on GPS alternatives

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently launched an inquiry to explore commercial technologies that would complement the Global Positioning System (GPS). Although GPS is indispensable to America’s economic and national security, it represents a single point of failure that can be vulnerable to disruption or manipulation by US adversaries. That is why leaders from President Trump to Chairman Cruz and Senator Markey have called to develop alternative systems that provide “position, navigation, and timing” (PNT) data.

PNT data is integral to countless military, public safety, agricultural, and commercial activities. Because the American economy and national security depend on GPS as the sole source of PNT data, the U.S. government has shown great interest in developing resilient backups that would protect critical operations from any disruption in GPS signals.

The Notice of Inquiry examines how the Commission might foster GPS complements and alternatives. The Notice asks about a wide array of PNT technologies under development by broadcasters, wireless operators, satellite constellations, and startups that use FCC licensed spectrum. It also seeks comment on the tradeoffs among these emerging PNT offerings based on factors like performance, adoption, scale, geographic coverage, durability, cost, and commercialization.

The Commission intends to build a comprehensive record on what actions it can take to strengthen GPS and promote other PNT technologies. These actions could include FCC rule changes, public-private partnerships, testbeds, Innovation Zones, and more. fcc.gov

Thales Alenia Space secures contract to extend EGNOS service life

Thales Alenia Space — a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo — has secured a €51 million ($56 million) contract from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) to extend the operational life of the European Satellite-Based Augmentation System (EGNOS).

Named Life Extension Phase 1 (LIFEX), this contract will ensure that EGNOS V2 continues to provide reliable, secure and high performance navigation services for Europe’s aviation, maritime, land transport, mapping and agricultural sectors beyond 2028.

EGNOS system is designed to enhance the accuracy, reliability and integrity of positioning signals by improving the performance of GNSS, such as GPS and, in the future, Galileo. As part of this contract, Thales Alenia Space will address EGNOS V2 critical system upgrades and infrastructure improvements, reinforcing the system’s resilience and operational durability. These updates will focus on enhancing security measures, modernizing components, and ensuring the ongoing reliability of EGNOS’s Safety of Life Service, which plays a key role in aviation, enabling accurate approaches at European airports without requiring ground guidance systems. www.thalesgroup.com