Indian GPS augmentation goes ahead
ISRO has awarded an $82 million contract to Raytheon to build the ground stations for the GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System. GAGAN will provide satellitebased navigation – nominally for civil aviation, but in practice for all users – over Indian airspace and adjoining areas in South and East Asia. It is a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) for GPS and other operational satellite navigation systems giving differential corrections. It is scheduled to be fully functional by 2013. http://raytheon.mediaroom.com

SatGuide PND Moov 300

SatNav Technologies launched the SatGuide PND Moov 300 in India. It will provide road navigation with features like voice prompted directions and a 4.3-inch touch screen. www.satnavtechnologies.com

4.7-inch Maestro PND by Magellan

Magellan announced the Maestro PND with new design, 4.7-inch Display, voice command capabilities, handsfree Bluetooth calling and highway lane assist. It has new feature “Find Your Car” which remembers the location of your car. http://promagellangps.com

Ordnance Survey works with GRACE

GRACE – the GNSS Research and Applications Centre of Excellence – has recently worked with Great Britain’s national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey. A team from GRACE carried out data collection at various sites to test potential new GNSS survey equipment. www.grace.ac.uk

Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant

Leica CloudWorx™ 1.0 for SmartPlant 3D was recently released by Leica. It is designed for Intergraph SmartPlant 3D users who want to take full advantage of accurate, laser scan asbuilt data directly in SmartPlant 3D. Leica has also released the QuickSteer motor – a new retrofi t option for farmers who want to add auto-steer functionality to their older tractors. It can be added to a wide range of agricultural vehicles that do not have factory-installed steering kits. www.leica-geosystems.com

China Navigation Map Market Report
According to China Navigation Map Market Report, 2008-2009, the Chinese car navigation market is in its early stage. In 2008, the market penetration rate of car navigation in China was only 4.56%, far lower than the 60% of Japan, and 20%-30% of both Europe and U.S.A. In 2008 a total of 3.1 million navigation devices were sold, more than double than that in 2007. www.pr-inside.com

Roadside assistance with SPOT satellite GPS messenger
SPOT Assist Roadside combines GPS and satellite communications technologies to deliver location-based messaging regardless of cellular network coverage. The “Help” button on the handheld SPOT Messenger can instantly alert a national roadside response centre of their location and need for roadside assistance from virtually anywhere in North America. The program includes fi ve roadside tows per year, up to 50 miles per tow, as well as auto-accident assistance, fuel delivery services, tyre repair etc. www.spot.com

Galileo IOV launch services contract signed
ESA and Arianespace signed a contract for the launch of the fi rst four operational Galileo satellites on two Soyuz launch vehicles from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. ESA’s Director of the Galileo Programme and Navigation-related Activities, Mr René Oosterlinck, and the Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall, signed the launch services contract in the presence of Mr Paul Verhoef, Programme Manager of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission. The Galileo In- Orbit Validation (IOV) Launch Services Contract covers the launch of the fi rst four operational Galileo satellites using two Soyuz launch vehicles that will lift off from the Guiana Space Centre (Centre Spatial Guyanais – CSG),

Chandrayaan-1 completes mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation has completed all the primary objectives of the Chandrayaan-1 lunar reconnaissance mission. The scientifi c objective of the spacecraft was remote sensing of the Moon in visible, near infra-red, low energy x-ray and high-energy x-ray regions. The intention is to prepare a 3-D atlas of both the near and far side of the moon, with a high spatial and altitude resolution – down to fi ve metres in the optical. www.isro.org

Study GIS at Hong Kong Polytechnic
The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is now accepting applications for Master of Science/ Postgraduate Diploma in Geomatics (GIS/ Surveying). It is the longest running postgraduate program in GIS and the only one in Geomatics (Surveying) in Hong Kong. www.lsgi.polyu.edu.hk

Safe Navigation in Korea

In Korea, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs shall soon provide small ships off the coast of the Korean peninsula with differential GPS information through mobile phones and other personal devices. Until now small avoided using professional equipment because of the price of the hardware. http://english.mltm.go.kr

Norway joins Galileo project
The Norwegian government will give a boost by providing 68.9 million euros (92.5 million dollars) towards the 3.4 billion euro project. While Norway is not a member of the 27-member bloc, the
country’s economy and business minister Sylvia Brustad said it was important that Oslo took part in Galileo’s development. “The project will be of huge importance for the development of the European space industry and it is therefore important that Norwegian businesses are now able to compete,” Brustad said in a statement. In September, the European Commission and the European Space Agency, which includes Norway as a member, shortlisted 11 European firms which are bidding for future contracts connected to Galileo. www.newsabout- space.org/story/157986254.html