Launch Delay

Block IIF Launch Delayed until ThursdayMay 25, 2010
After four delays, GPS spacecraft IIF-1 is set to be launched this Thursday, May 27, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The countdown to launch of GPS IIF-1 was halted Monday night at about T-6 seconds. Computers detected a possible problem with the steering system on one of the twin solid rocket boosters.
"The launch attempt of Delta IV GPS IIF SV-1 was scrubbed Monday night, May 24," reads an Air Force announcement.

"During the final seconds of the launch countdown, an anomalous data signature with the thrust vector control system on one of the two solid rocket motors (SRMs) mounted to the Delta IV booster was detected. The thrust vector control system is used to steer the SRMs during flight. The data signature triggered an automatic abort in the launch countdown scrubbing Monday's launch attempt. Mission managers are studying the situation to determine a corrective action plan.

"The Delta IV rocket and GPS IIF SV-1 satellite are safe and secure at this time. The next launch attempt has been tentatively set for Thursday. The launch window for Thursday is 11-11:19 p.m. EDT."

The new IIFs will broadcast the operational civil L5 signal, intended for safety-of-life applications. It will be compatible with Galileo, GLONASS, and QZSS, with the goal to be interoperable as well. L5 will transmit at a higher power than current civil GPS signals, with wider bandwidth and lower frequency that may enhance indoor reception.

The first launch attempt May 20 was scrubbed when mission managers determined a piece of ground support equipment used to control one of the swing arms on the Fixed Umbilical Tower was not operating correctly and needed replacing, and launch was delayed 24 hours. Then a telemetry signal issue caused a second scrub during the countdown, and launch was to be Sunday, then was extended to Monday before this fourth delay.

GPS GLONASS Antennas

A new line-up of glonass antennas is being developed for release next month. With GPS/ Glonass tracking units increasing in popularity, the need for new solution antennas is rising. Within the line-up we will introduct wifi/glonass antennas, gps/glonass/GSM antennas, and many more - that enable cutting edge solutions.

For more detail visit www.glonasscentral.com on May 15, 2010.

New Glonass / GPS module receive launching!

We are excited about the prospect of launching the newest GPS/Glonass module to our product line-up. It is our newest and lowest cost dual module, the NDV-2010.

Some exciting new features, make it a perfect fit for the line-up. For full details please contact us directly to our support team.

The NDV-2010 receiver can operate either in an autonomous or in a differential navigation mode. In the latter case, the receiver can get corrections either from a base station or corrections broadcasted by SBAS satellites.

Navigation Mode:
In the autonomous mode, the receiver uses only the information from available GPS and GLONASS satellites.

In the differential mode, the receiver can receive and use corrections from a base station according to RTCM SC 104, v. 2.2, protocol. Corrections are input via dedicated serial port. The receiver processes messages 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 31, 32, 34, 36. If differential corrections are unavailable during one minute, the receiver automatically switches to autonomous mode until the next correction is available.

When the SBAS corrections mode is set, the receiver assigns a channel for receiving SBAS satellite signal. The receiver searches for the satellites, which PRN is between 120 and 138. After getting corrections, the receiver uses them for more accurate positioning.

Visit www.glonasscentral.com for full descriptions and contacts.

Glonass Launch

Another sattelite launched yesterday into space, adding to the Glonass Network. Glonass Receivers, Chipsets, Modules, and all the great tools they support are now that much better for it. See the video below for full details:

Glonass System grows by 3 more

The three new GLONASS-M satellites launched on December 14 have been set operational: GLONASS 730 in orbital slot 1, was set healthy on January 30, joining 734 and 733, which were set healthy earlier in the month. This brings to 18 the number of satellites currently in service, although GLONASS 722 continues to provide a healthy signal only on its L1 frequency. At present, the constellation only suffices to provide a 24-hour regional signal over Russian territory, although satellites can and frequently are pulled in by global high-precision users to complete an RTK solution, along with GPS satellites.

Two other satellites, GLONASS 712 and 726, are currently in maintenance mode and set unhealthy. GLONASS 726 is the satellite that has a faulty signal generator and which prompted the postponement of the launch of the Block 40 satellites. Those satellites will now be launched in March. Meanwhile, GLONASS 701, launched in 2003, and 713, launched in 2005, are in the process of being decommissioned.

TV Roscosmos has released an entertaining video on Roscosmos's new program Ekstpennogo Reagirovaniya pri Avariyah, or Emergency Response in case of Accidents (ERA).
The next GLONASS launch, of the GLONASS Block 40 satellites originally to be launched last September but returned to the Reshetnev factory because of problems with the signal generator, is now scheduled for March 2. Two of the three satellites have been transported to the Baikonur launch pad.

See video here:

http://www.glonasscentral.com

GLONASS Goes Global

The next decade promises drastic improvements to global navigation satellite systems. The USA is modernizing GPS, Russia is refreshing GLONASS, Europe is moving ahead with its own Galileo system, and The People’s Republic of China is expanding its Beidou-1 system from a regional navigation system to a full constellation global navigation satellite system known as Compass/BeiDou-2, which consists of thirty five satellites including geostationary satellites, MEO satellites, and geosynchronous satellites in the coming year. Extra satellites will improve performance for all applications, and especially wheresatellite signals can be obscured, such as in urban canyons, under tree canopies, or in open-cut mines.

The benefits of the expected extra satellites and their signals are increased availability, accuracy,
continuity, and reliability. The advent of hybrid GNSS constellation has made the study of compatibility and interoperability increasingly important. A number of performance analyses have been conducted on a global scale with respect to availability, reliability, accuracy, and integrity in different simulated scenarios (such as open sky and urban canyons) for each system individually as well as for all possible combinations. Since the Compass/BeiDou-2 has received increasing attention from GNSS communities, the main objective of this study is to investigate the performance of Compass/BeiDou-2 in comparison with GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo in the greater Asia region; and also to explore whether combining Compass/BeiDou-2 with another GNSS would yield performance improvements in the region.

GLOBAL POSITIONING GROWING- GLONASS GOING GLOBAL

Technology Update: GLONASS goes global

GLONASS Complimentary, NOT competitive to GPS

An excellent discussion outlining the complimentary opportunities for the future of glonass.



As Glonass is improving quickly, it's availability is a key factor to success. Particularly the Northern latitudes, Glonass compliments the GPS system with greater accuracy and dependability. It's RTCM for regular road navigation is a key differentiator as well. For the full interview and details for glonass receivers and their applications visit http://www.glonasscentral.com/

Full interview with Rene Pischel, the head of the Moscow office of the European Space Agency, visit RT.com

Glonass Receiver

This month's profile for our Top Pick for Glonass Receiver: NDV-735.

With GPS Glonass combinations growing in popularity in terms of embedded solutions, prices of gps receivers have been dropping.

The NDV-735 earns top marks in terms of price, quality, and consistency. As a glonass receiver it is a relatively new entrant. Features can be reviewed at http://www.glonasscentral.com/product_2.html

As a low cost glonass receiver module, it has successfully been deployed for navigation, tracking applications. It has been deployed successfully in container cargo tracking, rail car tracking, fleet management, dashboard type navigation devices, as well as in low end timing solutions.

Glonass Chip Pricing Drops

For the new year, a number of technological innovations are allowing the price of Glonass/GPS chips to drop in price. Before this, the lack of competitive receiving chips was a global problem for navigation devices, supporting GLONASS to enter the market. This also was a major problem for installing GLONASS receivers into smartphones, communicators and car navigation devices.

www.glonasscentral.com has reflected the innovations and dropped it's pricing as well.