Satellite Navigation

A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous
geo-spatial positioning. It allows small electronic receivers to determine their location
(longitude, latitude, and altitude/elevation) to high precision (within a few metres) using time
signals transmitted along a line of sight by radio from satellites. The system can be used for
providing position, navigation or for tracking the position of something fitted with a receiver
(satellite tracking). The signals also allow the electronic receiver to calculate the current local time
to high precision, which allows time synchronisation. Satnav systems operate independently of
any telephonic or internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the
positioning information generated.
A satellite navigation system with global coverage may be termed a global navigation satellite
system (GNSS). As of October 2018, the United States' Global Positioning System(GPS)
and Russia's GLONASS are fully operational GNSSs, with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System (BDS) and the European Union's Galileo scheduled to be fully operational by
2020.[1][2] India, France and Japan are in the process of developing regional navigation and
augmentation systems as well.
Global coverage for each system is generally achieved by a satellite constellation of 18–
30 medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites spread between several orbital planes. The actual systems
vary, but use orbital inclinations of >50° and orbital periods of roughly twelve hours (at an altitude
of about 20,000 kilometres or 12,000 miles).

Classification
Satellite navigation systems that provide enhanced accuracy and integrity monitoring usable for
civil navigation are classified as follows:[3]

 GNSS-1[citation needed] is the first generation system and is the combination of existing satellite
navigation systems (GPS and GLONASS), with Satellite Based Augmentation
Systems (SBAS) or Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS). In the United States, the
satellite based component is the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), in Europe it is
the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), and in Japan it is
the Multi-Functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS). Ground based augmentation is
provided by systems like the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS).[citation needed]
 GNSS-2[citation needed] is the second generation of systems that independently provides a full
civilian satellite navigation system, exemplified by the European Galileo positioning system.
These systems will provide the accuracy and integrity monitoring necessary for civil
navigation; including aircraft. Initially, this system consisted of only Upper L-Band frequency
sets (L1 for GPS, E1 for Galileo, G1 for GLONASS). In recent years, GNSS systems have
begun activating Lower L-Band frequency sets (L2 and L5 for GPS, E5a and E5b for Galileo,
G3 for GLONASS) for civilian use; they feature higher aggregate accuracy and fewer
problems with signal reflection.[4][5] As of late 2018, a few consumer grade GNSS devices are
being sold that leverage both, and are typically called "Dual band GNSS" or "Dual band GPS"
devices.
 Core Satellite navigation systems, currently GPS (United States), GLONASS (Russian
Federation), Galileo (European Union) and Compass (China).
 Global Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as Omnistar and StarFire.
 Regional SBAS including WAAS (US), EGNOS (EU), MSAS (Japan) and GAGAN (India).
 Regional Satellite Navigation Systems such as China's Beidou, India's NAVIC, and Japan's
proposed QZSS.
 Continental scale Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS) for example the Australian
GRAS and the joint US Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard, US Army Corps of Engineers
and US Department of Transportation National Differential GPS (DGPS) service.
 Regional scale GBAS such as CORS networks.
 Local GBAS typified by a single GPS reference station operating Real Time Kinematic (RTK)
corrections.

History and theory

Ground based radio navigation has long been practiced.

The DECCA, LORAN, GEE and Omega systems used
terrestrial longwave radio transmitters which broadcast a radio pulse from a known "master"
location, followed by a pulse repeated from a number of "slave" stations.
The delay between the reception of the master signal and the slave signals allowed the receiver to
deduce the distance to each of the slaves, providing a fix.The first satellite navigation system
was Transit, a system deployed by the US military in the 1960s. Transit's operation was based on
the Doppler effect: the satellites travelled on well-known paths and broadcast their signals on a
well-known radio frequency. The received frequency will differ slightly from the broadcast
frequency because of the movement of the satellite with respect to the receiver. By monitoring this
frequency shift over a short time interval, the receiver can determine its location to one side or the
other of the satellite, and several such measurements combined with a precise knowledge of the
satellite's orbit can fix a particular position. Satellite orbital position errors are induced by
variations in the gravity field and radar refraction, among others. These were resolved by a team
led by Harold L Jury of Pan Am Aerospace Division in Florida from 1970-1973. Using real-time
data assimilation and recursive estimation, the systematic and residual errors were narrowed down
to a manageable level to permit accurate navigation. [6]
Part of an orbiting satellite's broadcast included its precise orbital data. In order to ensure accuracy,
the US Naval Observatory (USNO) continuously observed the precise orbits of these satellites. As
a satellite's orbit deviated, the USNO would send the updated information to the satellite.
Subsequent broadcasts from an updated satellite would contain its most recent ephemeris.
Modern systems are more direct. The satellite broadcasts a signal that contains orbital data (from
which the position of the satellite can be calculated) and the precise time the signal was transmitted.
The orbital ephemeris is transmitted in a data message that is superimposed on a code that serves
as a timing reference. The satellite uses an atomic clock to maintain synchronization of all the
satellites in the constellation. The receiver compares the time of broadcast encoded in the
transmission of three (at sea level) or four different satellites, thereby measuring the time-of-flight
to each satellite. Several such measurements can be made at the same time to different satellites,
allowing a continual fix to be generated in real time using an adapted version of trilateration:
see GNSS positioning calculation for details.
Each distance measurement, regardless of the system being used, places the receiver on a spherical
shell at the measured distance from the broadcaster. By taking several such measurements and then
looking for a point where they meet, a fix is generated. However, in the case of fast-moving
receivers, the position of the signal moves as signals are received from several satellites. In
addition, the radio signals slow slightly as they pass through the ionosphere, and this slowing varies
with the receiver's angle to the satellite, because that changes the distance through the ionosphere.
The basic computation thus attempts to find the shortest directed line tangent to four oblate
spherical shells centred on four satellites. Satellite navigation receivers reduce errors by using
combinations of signals from multiple satellites and multiple correlators, and then using techniques
such as Kalman filtering to combine the noisy, partial, and constantly changing data into a single
estimate for position, time, and velocity.

Applications[edit]

Automotive navigation system

Main article: GNSS applications
Further information: Automotive navigation system

The original motivation for satellite navigation was for military applications. Satellite navigation
allows precision in the delivery of weapons to targets, greatly increasing their lethality whilst
reducing inadvertent casualties from mis-directed weapons. (See Guided bomb). Satellite
navigation also allows forces to be directed and to locate themselves more easily, reducing the fog
of war.
The ability to supply satellite navigation signals is also the ability to deny their availability. The
operator of a satellite navigation system potentially has the ability to degrade or eliminate satellite
navigation services over any territory it desires.
Global navigation satellite systems

Comparison of geostationary, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass (MEO), International Space

Station, Hubble Space Telescope, Iridium constellation and graveyard orbits, with the Van Allen
radiation belts and the Earth to scale.[a] The Moon's orbit is around 9 times larger than
geostationary orbit.[b] (In the SVG file,hover over an orbit or its label to highlight it; click to load
its article.)

Launched GNSS satellites 1978 to 2014

GPS
Main article: Global Positioning System

The United States' Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of up to 32 medium Earth
orbit satellites in six different orbital planes, with the exact number of satellites varying as older
satellites are retired and replaced. Operational since 1978 and globally available since 1994, GPS
is the world's most utilized satellite navigation system.
GLONASS
Main article: GLONASS

The formerly Soviet, and now Russian, Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema,
(GLObal NAvigation Satellite System or GLONASS), is a space-based satellite navigation system
that provides a civilian radionavigation-satellite service and is also used by the Russian Aerospace
Defence Forces. GLONASS has full global coverage with 24 satellites.
Galileo
Main article: Galileo (satellite navigation)

The European Union and European Space Agency agreed in March 2002 to introduce their own
alternative to GPS, called the Galileo positioning system. Galileo became operational on 15
December 2016 (global Early Operational Capability (EOC)) [7] At an estimated cost of €3
billion,[8] the system of 30 MEO satellites was originally scheduled to be operational in 2010. The
original year to become operational was 2014.[9] The first experimental satellite was launched on
28 December 2005.[10] Galileo is expected to be compatible with the modernized GPS system. The
receivers will be able to combine the signals from both Galileo and GPS satellites to greatly
increase the accuracy. Galileo is expected to be in full service in 2020 and at a substantially higher
cost.[2] The main modulation used in Galileo Open Service signal is the Composite Binary Offset
Carrier (CBOC) modulation.
BeiDou-2
Main article: BeiDou Navigation Satellite System

China has indicated their plan to complete the entire second generation Beidou Navigation Satellite
System (BDS or BeiDou-2, formerly known as COMPASS), by expanding current regional (Asia-
Pacific) service into global coverage by 2020.[1] The BeiDou-2 system is proposed to consist of
30 MEO satellites and five geostationary satellites. A 16-satellite regional version (covering Asia
and Pacific area) was completed by December 2012.

Regional navigation satellite systems[edit]

BeiDou-1
Main article: BeiDou Navigation Satellite System

Chinese regional (Asia-Pacific, 16 satellites) network to be expanded into the whole BeiDou-2
global system which consists of all 35 satellites by 2020.
NAVIC
Main article: NAVIC

The NAVIC or NAVigation with Indian Constellation is an autonomous regional satellite

navigation system developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which would be
under the total control of Indian government. The government approved the project in May 2006,
with the intention of the system completed and implemented on 28 April 2016. It will consist of a
constellation of 7 navigational satellites.[11] 3 of the satellites will be placed in the Geostationary
orbit (GEO) and the remaining 4 in the Geosynchronous orbit(GSO)to have a larger signal
footprint and lower number of satellites to map the region. It is intended to provide an all-weather
absolute position accuracy of better than 7.6 meters throughout India and within a region extending
approximately 1,500 km around it.[12] A goal of complete Indian control has been stated, with
the space segment, ground segment and user receivers all being built in India.[13] All seven
satellites, IRNSS-1A, IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1F, and IRNSS-
1G, of the proposed constellation were precisely launched on 1 July 2013, 4 April 2014, 16 October
2014, 28 March 2015, 20 January 2016, 10 March 2016 and 28 April 2016 respectively from Satish
Dhawan Space Centre.[14][15] The system is expected to be fully operational by August 2016.[16]
QZSS
Main article: Quasi-Zenith Satellite System

The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) is a proposed four-satellite regional time

transfer system and enhancement for GPS covering Japan and the Asia-Oceania regions. QZSS
services are available on a trial basis as of January 12, 2018, and are scheduled to be launched in
November 2018. The first satellite was launched in September 2010.[17]

Comparison of systems
System BeiDou Galileo GLONASS GPS NAVIC QZSS
European United
Owner China Russia India Japan
Union States
Regional Global by
Coverage Global Global Regional Regional
(Global by 2020) 2020
Coding CDMA CDMA FDMA CDMA CDMA CDMA
32,600 km
20,180 km (20,300 mi) –
21,150 km 23,222 km 19,130 km 36,000 km
Altitude (12,540 mi 39,000 km
(13,140 mi) (14,429 mi) (11,890 mi) (22,000 mi)
) (24,000 mi)[1
8]

11.97 h
12.63 h (12 h 14.08 h 11.26 h (11 h 23.93 h (23 h 23.93 h (23 h
Period (11 h
38 min) (14 h 5 min) 16 min) 56 min) 56 min)
58 min)
Rev./S.
17/9 (1.888...) 17/10 (1.7) 17/8 (2.125) 2 1 1
day
24 by design
24 operational
23 in orbit (Oct 26 in orbit 1 31,[22] 4 in orbit
3 GEO,
Satellites 2018) 6 to be commissionin 24 by (Oct 2017)
5 GSO MEO
35 by 2020[19] launched[20] g design 7 final goal
1 in flight
tests[21]

1.559– 1.593– 1.563–

1.561098 GHz (B 1.592 GHz 1.610 GHz 1.587 GHz
1) (E1) (G1) (L1) 1176.45 MHz(L5
Frequenc 1.589742 GHz (B 1.164– 1.237– 1.215– )
1.215 GHz 1.254 GHz 1.2396 GH ?
y 1-2) 2492.028 MHz (
(E5a/b) (G2) z (L2)
1.20714 GHz (B2) S)
1.260– 1.189– 1.164–
1.26852 GHz (B3) 1.300 GHz 1.214 GHz 1.189 GHz
(E6) (G3) (L5)
Operating
Basic nav. service Operationa Operational
Status since 2016 Operational 7 operational
by 2018 end l since
2020
 to be completed by completion[2 November
H1 2020[20] 0]
2018
1m (Public) 15m (no 1m (Public)
10m (Public) 10m (Public)
Precision 0.01m 4.5m – 7.4m DGPS or 0.1m
0.1m (Encrypted) 0.1m (Encrypted)
(Encrypted) WAAS) (Encrypted)
System BeiDou Galileo GLONASS GPS NAVIC QZSS
Augmentation
GNSS augmentation is a method of improving a navigation system's attributes, such as accuracy,
reliability, and availability, through the integration of external information into the calculation
process, for example, the Wide Area Augmentation System, the European Geostationary
Navigation Overlay Service, the Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System, Differential
GPS, GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) and inertial navigation systems.
DORIS
Main article: DORIS (geodesy)

Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) is

a French precision navigation system. Unlike other GNSS systems, it is based on static emitting
stations around the world, the receivers being on satellites, in order to precisely determine their
orbital position. The system may be used also for mobile receivers on land with more limited usage
and coverage. Used with traditional GNSS systems, it pushes the accuracy of positions to
centimetric precision (and to millimetric precision for altimetric application and also allows
monitoring very tiny seasonal changes of Earth rotation and deformations), in order to build a
much more precise geodesic reference system.[23]

Low Earth orbit satellite phone networks

The two current operational low Earth orbit satellite phone networks are able to track transceiver
units with accuracy of a few kilometers using doppler shift calculations from the satellite. The
coordinates are sent back to the transceiver unit where they can be read using AT commands or
a graphical user interface.[24][25] This can also be used by the gateway to enforce restrictions on
geographically bound calling plans.