GPS Status and Modernization Munich Satellite Navigation Summit Munich, Germany 20 Feb 2008 Lt Col Harold Martin, US Air Force PNT Command Lead Air Force Space Command This briefing is for information only. No US Government commitment to sell, loan, lease, co-develop or co-produce defense articles or provide defense services is implied or intended.
Overview GPS Status Recent Modernization Improvements The Future Summary
GPS – Serving the World IIR-21(M) - Sep 08 Constellation– the largest ever- 30 Healthy Satellites 13 Block IIA 12 Block IIR 5 Block IIR-M 31st satellite, SVN 23, still has a good clock – AF working to see if it can be set healthy to achieve 31 healthy satellite constellation for first time ever Most Recent Launch IIR-18(M) – 5th modernized SV Launched Wednesday, 20 Dec 07 SVN 57, PRN 29, slot C1 Set healthy on 2 Jan 08 Next Launches IIR-19(M) – Mar 08 IIR-20(M) – Jun 08 – L5 demo payload IIR-21(M) - Sep 08 IIF-1 launch in Spring 09
GPS – Spectrum Block IIA 1990 Block IIR 1997 Previous since Dec 2005 P(Y) C/A L5 M L2C L1C L1 L2 Previous since Dec 2005 (5 SVs) Block IIR-M, 2005 Planned Block IIF, 2009 L1C Block III, 2014 (artist’s concept) ARNS Band RNSS Band ARNS Band
GPS Status – Serving the World Performance – Our best ever accuracy Current Performance Average URE from 30 GPS SVs: 0.51 m Source: JPL 2/10/2008
GPS Status – Serving the World Recent Modernization Improvements: Launched 5th of 8 Block IIR-M satellites Architecture Evolution Plan – transition to a new Command and Control System at 2 SOPS for day-to-day operations Launch, Anomaly and Disposal Operations (LADO) - transitioned from 1 SOPS to 2 SOPS
Recent Modernization Improvements 5 Block IIR-M Satellites on orbit now: Second Civilian Signal, L2C L2C provides increased accuracy for civilian receivers: applications from precision farming to construction surveying 5th satellite means more L2C coverage around the globe Dual frequency receivers reduce ionospheric errors Better performing atomic clocks than IIA IIR-M 20 will fly a demonstration payload with an L5 signal
Recent Modernization Improvements Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) New Master Control Station operational Sep 14, 2007 Modern distributed system replaced 1970’s era mainframe New Alternate Master Control Station at Vandenberg AFB, CA Increased capacity to monitor satellites Utilizes dedicated Monitor Stations and NGA Monitor Stations to allow increased monitoring of GPS signals Increased worldwide coverage to 100 % (was 96.4%) and have 99.8% of world double covered Utilizes dedicated GPS Ground Antennas and allows use of 8 Air Force Satellite Control Network remote sites for increased commanding capability Increased worldwide commanding capability daily from 92.7% of the time to 94.5% while providing nearly double the backup capability
Recent Modernization Improvements Launch, Anomaly and Disposal Operations (LADO) Transitioned capability from 1 SOPS to 2 SOPS - centralizes GPS operations into a single unit Replaces 90’s mainframe based system with increased use of modern distributed technology with electronic technical orders while decreasing the maintenance burden Used for launch of IIRM-17 on Oct 17, 2007 and IIRM-18 on Dec 20, 2007
The Future of GPS Satellites Control Systems User Equipment GPS III (Block III) Increased accuracy Increased signal strength Signal integrity Search and Rescue Common Galileo OS/GPS (L1C) Legacy (Block IIA/IIR) Basic GPS C/A civil signal (L1C/A) Std Pos. Service Precise Pos. Service L1 & L2 P(Y) nav Modernized (Block IIR-M) 2nd civil signal (L2C) M-Code signals (L1M, L2M) Satellites Modernized (Block IIF) 3rd civil signal (L5) Upgraded (AEP) IIR-M IIF TT&C WAGE, AII, LADO New MCS/AMCS Legacy TT&C L1 & L2 monitoring Control Systems User Equipment Man Pack MAGR, PLGR RCVR-3A, 3S OH, UH FRPA, CRPA Upgraded DAGR CSEL GAS-1 MAGR2K GB-GRAM Modernized MUE MSR OCX Block 2 C2 L1C OCX Block 1 (Modernized) New Architecture L2C, L5, M-Code Flex Power OCX Block 3/4) Spot Beam Mission Planning Near-real Time Command and Control 10
Future of GPS – Block IIF Satellites PPS Signals: L1-L2 P(Y), L1-L2 M-code SPS Signals: L1 C/A, L2C, and L5 L5 will provide second civil unique frequency in protected band Program Status: SV1 in qualification tests Delivery to Cape Dec 08 First launch 2009 Program Description 2 Rb + 1 Cs clocks 12 year design life Launch Atlas V or Delta IV Satellite launch weight ~ 3720 lbs
Future of GPS – Block III Satellites New L1C civil signal interoperable with Galileo/QZSS Aggressive Capability Insertion Program to mature capabilities Directional crosslink demo by IIIA; baselined on IIIB High Power Spot Beam demo by IIIB; baselined on IIIC Provides 20dB (100Xs) greater M-code power Program Status: Implementing “Block” approach to incrementally respond to warfighter capability requirements – reduces risk Contract in Source Selection, expect award Spring 08 Program Description: GPS IIIA includes all GPS IIR-M/IIF capabilities, plus: Enhanced earth coverage M-code power (10x) enables improved operations in jammed & austere environments GPS III guarantees 4x better User Range Error than IIF GPS signal-in-space improves from <3m to <1m GPS III Integrity guarantee supports safety-of-life applications Probability of Misleading Signal-in-space Information (MSI) <0.0001/hr (Threshold)
The Future of GPS – New C2 System Next Generation Operational Control Segment (OCX) Enables modernized messaging Controls more capable GPS constellation Monitors all GPS signals Two development contracts awarded – 21 Nov 07 Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is standing up a Community of Interest (COI) to implement net-centric operations using OCX GPS COI is a forum for users to recommend the data and services that should accessible from the global information grid (GIG)
The Future of GPS – User Equipment Comm/Nav/Network Fusion Benefit in comm/nav user equipment integration Better accuracy, reduced time uncertainty, data stripping, network interference detection/location A variety of approaches to comm/nav integration exist today and should be studied further Additional investment and prototyping is required Chip Scale Atomic Clocks Software defined receiver
GPS – Serving the World as the Gold Standard in Space Based Navigation Summary Largest constellation in history with best accuracy ever Modernized Command and Control System allows more signal monitoring and quicker satellite commanding than ever before And we’re continuing to modernize and improve GPS even more! GPS – Serving the World as the Gold Standard in Space Based Navigation