Positioning Navigation and Timing

The Italian Space Agency (ASI) cooperates with Quascom and NASA to launch project NEIL to experiment satellite-based positioning on the lunar surface, ASI reports. Project NEIL (Navigation Early Investigation on Lunar surface) is linked to NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Service mission.

BAE Systems acquired In-Space Missions to make it a fully-owned subsidiary, In-Space announced. In-Space, founded in 2015, designs, builds and operates bespoke space missions for customers. The company specialises in space services for earth observation, navigation, satellite communications, and space exploration.

Orolia is paid €70 million to provide atomic clocks for the first 12 satellites of the Galileo Second Generation System (G2S), Orolia announced. The funding comes in two contracts, one with ESA and the other with Leonardo. The news comes after the European Commission and ESA chose Orolia’s Skydel GNSS signal simulation core engine for the G2S radiofrequency constellation simulator in May.

Masten Space Systems was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract to develop and test a lunar positioning and navigation network prototype, Masten said. The GPS-like solution is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX program. The network will boost cislunar security, improve landing accuracy and hazard avoidance by providing location tracking for spacecraft and astronauts on the lunar surface.

The space-based data and analytics provider Spire Global will provide radio occultation satellite data to Eumetsat, the company said. Eumetsat, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites – is a satellite agency which gathers, and gives access to, accurate and reliable satellite data on weather, climate, and the environment.

In March of this year, the giant container vessel “Ever Given” disrupted global commerce when it was lodged into the bank of the Suez Canal for nearly a week. According to Reuters, about twelve percent of total global trade passes through this canal.

Iridium will connect the vessels of the Canadian Coast Guard with its Thales terminals, the company said. The Canadian Coast Guard deployed dozens of Certus terminals on its vessels, including icebreakers, to contribute to reliable internet connectivity, ensure the safety of mariners in Canadian waters and protect Canada’s marine environment, Iridium said.

Masten Space Systems, the Californian Moon and Mars mission specialist, will develop a positioning and navigation network for the Moon, the company said. Masten was awarded a Phase II contract, through the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, “to develop and demonstrate a lunar positioning and navigation network prototype”, the company founded in 2004 said.

As part of the partnership between SpaceWatch.Global and Joint Air Power Competence Centre, we have been granted permission to publish selected articles and texts. We are pleased to present “Modular Satellite Manufacturing to Enhance Space Assets Resiliency” by Mr Tal Azoulay, Ms Giulia Federico, and Mr Ran Qedar, originally published on the Joint Air Power Competence Centre website.

Connecting sensors and soldiers: the U.S. Army has contracted Iridium to develop a smallsat GPS payload, the company said. The contract is worth up to $30 million. Iridium will develop a smallsat payload that supports navigation and GPS systems for the army, Iridium said.