GPS signal enhances navigation, timing

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Don Branum
  • 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFPN) --  Warfighters now have a new way to receive Global Positioning System location and timing data -- online.

The 2nd Space Operations Squadron here is delivering Zero Age of Data Navigation Message Replacements, or ZAOD NMR, on the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network.

The first end user of this new GPS data stream is Air Combat Command’s small diameter bomb effort, where the bomb’s GPS accuracy requirements are more stringent than what is available directly from GPS satellites.

ACC, in conjunction with tactical exploitation of national capabilities, needed the new GPS data stream now to prove the small diameter bomb GPS accuracy concept.

The ability to deliver GPS position and time information through the SIPRNet is a historic achievement, said Maj. Chuck Daniels, GPS Operations Center Director.

“GPS signals in space are fragile,” Major Daniels said. “Radio frequency noise in the environment can disturb, disrupt or even destroy those signals. But if you can deliver position and timing data via robust networks into a net-centric environment, then in theory you’re no longer dependent on the signals in space.

“When placed into a network environment, GPS service makes a leap forward into a more robust, more available, more accurate, more anti-jam-capable system,” he said.

Bill Feess of Aerospace Corporation and Art Dorsey of Lockheed Martin, both advocates of net-centric GPS service, have long encouraged the operations community to move toward networks capable of delivering GPS information.

“This was an amazing team effort.” Major Daniels said. “Our Overlook Systems Technologies, Inc, contractors, P.J. Mendicki from Aerospace and Dr. Dorsey from Lockheed-Martin were able to finish the work Mr. Feess started so long ago.

“We had several different organizations come together and roll up their sleeves, putting the mission first, and in a couple of weeks accomplished the impossible,” Major Daniels said.

Several Department of Defense agencies and other users are already expressing interest in developing applications for the new technology.

“Warfighters, TENCAP users and GPS customers worldwide will long benefit from this milestone event,” said Lt. Col. Harold Martin, 2nd Space Operations Squadron operations officer.

The applications for net-enabled GPS precision data are limited only by end users’ imaginations. Civil agencies such as the Coast Guard, Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration want to use similar net-centric GPS signals in the near future.

“Practically everyone is interested in more robust GPS timing and location data -- people who use ATMs, the stock market and cell phone networks all rely on net enabled GPS data today. So the market is already here, and it’s a pretty big market,” he said.

“We are standing at the very beginning of another exciting era for GPS,” Major Daniels said. “In this new net-enabled position and timing environment, the horizon is limited only by the imaginations of the great thinkers and innovators. This is why we created the GPSOC -- to improve the way we provide GPS service to users so they can go win wars and do great things.”