SouthPAN (Southern Positioning Augmentation Network)
SouthPAN, the first SBAS in the Southern Hemisphere, contributing improved global coverage and delivering reliable positioning to a number of industries is utilising GMV technology. GMV, a multinational technology firm delivering their best services and solutions for space needs recently entered into an agreement with Lockheed Martin Corporation for the SouthPAN Project.
The contract will not only strengthen GMV’s position as a global leader in the field of satellite navigation but also provides a SBAS (satellite-based augmentation system) for navigation and precise point positioning (PPP) services along with various benefits to the different industries.
In an Interview with The GPS Time, José Caro, Director of Navigation Augmentation Systems and Services at GMV, explained how GMV is contributing towards the SouthPAN Project and what opportunities & benefits the initiative would bring for the economy and different sectors.
- Kindly brief about the Importance of Southern Positioning Augmentation Network Initiative?
Southern Positioning Augmentation Network system, known as SouthPAN, is a joint initiative of the Australian and New Zealand governments with the purpose of providing a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) for navigation and precise point positioning (PPP) services, the first system with these characteristics available in the Southern Hemisphere. With this new program, Australia and New Zealand will be contributing to improved global coverage and interoperability for services of this type, by joining the list of countries and regions that already have their own SBAS system, such as the USA (WAAS), Europe (EGNOS), India (GAGAN), and Japan (MSAS).
In an economic benefit report commissioned by FrontierSI in 2019 based on the results obtained during an extensive demonstration campaign, it was estimated that these services would have an impact of AUD 7.6 billion on the Australian and New Zealand economies over 30 years. The sectors that will benefit from the initiative include agriculture, resources, construction, road, maritime, aviation and rail among others.
- What does SBAS system as a service, rather than as a turnkey system implies?
SBAS have traditionally been commissioned as turnkey systems. Although this is not the case in Australia and New Zealand, not every state can afford its own SBAS because the purchase process is complex, the costs exceed the benefits for small economies, or because the specific geography of the country makes it difficult to design an appropriate network of monitoring stations. In addition, once the turnkey system is accepted, the risk and the liability are fully on the contracting authority, usually a state, and the operations are to be organized or outsourced.
On the other hand, thanks to the evolution of the SBAS standard from single-frequency to dual-frequency augmentation, it is possible now to offer SBAS services to multiple states at a fraction of the infrastructure cost that would be required in a turnkey approach. Once the service is operational over a given longitude, those states in the GEO footprints will be able to contract the services in a short time, avoiding the burden of complex procurements and minimizing the risks.
- How is GMV contributing towards the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network system?
The consortium developing SouthPAN and providing the services is led by Lockheed Martin. Within this consortium, GMV will be responsible for developing two key subsystems for SouthPAN: the Corrections Processing Facility (CPF) and the Ground Control Centre (GCC). The company will also be responsible for monitoring the system in the region and for ensuring that it complies with the committed performance levels. In addition, GMV will be providing support for the system’s operation and maintenance. The CPF is in charge of generating correction messages for the signals being transmitted by the GPS and Galileo satellites. This is a process that improves precision for the system’s users by producing accuracy to as little as 10 centimetres. The CPF is also responsible for detecting malfunctions in the satellites and generating warnings for the users. This will allow use of SouthPAN by civilian aircraft as a navigation system during various flight operations, including precision approaches to runways for landing. Safety-of-life services such as these will be available in 2028. The control centre, in turn, remains in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it will perform all the functions needed to monitor and control the system. It will also provide information to the community of users about the system’s operation and availability of its services.
- What role GMV plays in it and what challenges have you addressed so far while working on SBAS systems
In the SBAS domain, GMV is specialized in processing facilities and GNSS engineering. The participation in SBAS programs requires expertise and knowledge in GNSS, system engineering, SW development, security and aviation safety standards. Having a balanced team encompassing all these aspects is the result of years of sustained growth based on careful acquisition of talent and training. In addition, GMV had to invest in its own suite of products which have been proved fundamental to be able to assess the expected performance of given system configurations when we had to answer a request for proposal in a short time. Finally, when we are developing operational systems we pay a lot of attention to the automation of the verification tests, which pays-off in the long run.
- What are the other projects GMV is working on in the space sector?
GMV is a trusted partner of leading Satellite Operators, Satellite Manufacturers and Space Agencies worldwide. Since 1984, we provide engineering, software & hardware development and systems integration in the areas of mission analysis, GNC, avionics, satellite and mission control, flight dynamics, data processing, mission planning, fleet management, navigation, on board software, robotics and applications. Involved in more than 900 satellite missions and having a large portfolio of flight proven products.
Today we are a worldwide leader in satellite-navigation systems (including a major role on European Galileo/EGNOS, international SBAS systems and GNSS applications), a worldwide leader of ground systems for telecommunications operators (Eutelsat, Hispasat, SES, Intelsat, Inmarsat…more than 35 operators worlwide), a European leader of ground control systems and data processing for Earth observation and meteorology (Earth Explorers, Copernicus, Paz, Microcarb, MTG, EPS SG), a European leader of avionics and advanced GNC systems for planetary defense (Hera), technology demonstration missions (PROBA-3), launchers (VEGA, PLD) and space exploration (Moon missions, MSR), a European leader of space surveillance (SSA and EUSST/STM) and robotics (Exomars), a European reference in satellite operations engineering (DLR, ESA, CNES) and user applications (security, agriculture, maritime… among others).
- What benefits & opportunities the SouthPAN contract will bring?
For the region, SouthPAN will provide direct benefits to Australia and New Zealand in multiple sectors: agriculture, transportation, industry, and the general public. One of the most appealing features of SouthPAN is that the use of the services provided through the space signals does not require any other additional equipment or infrastructure than the user terminal, and, in consequence, can bring added value even in remote areas without ground communication coverage.
For GMV, with over 600 navigation engineers, the SouthPAN contract consolidates us as one of the main GNSS system suppliers in the world, and not just within the European Union. This contract is also an excellent opportunity to strengthen our alliance with Lockheed Martin and to pave the way towards the provision of SBAS as a service to other states and geographies.
