2025 Fellow

Presented to: Dr. Thomas Powell

Citation: For outstanding contributions to the GPS Enterprise,
its military and civilian users, and promotion of GNSS and international cooperation

Dr. Thomas Powell has worked on GPS User Equipment and Systems Engineering for more than 20 years, including receiver development programs, constellation management, and international GNSS coordination. His technical expertise spans multiple domains, with notable contributions in both military and civil applications.

As a leading expert in Kalman filter technology, Dr. Powell developed upgrades to orbit determination software and led the Aerospace Corporation’s support for USAF handheld GPS receivers. He produced a GPS Joint Program Office endorsed video highlighting the risks of commercial GPS receivers for military operations and played a crucial role in evaluating a signal anomaly on GPS satellite SV-49. He was a key member of the U.S. delegation in numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings to verify compatibility and interoperability of GPS with other GNSS and helped protect GPS users from adjacent band interference.

Dr. Powell has served as a technical advisor and member to the U.S. National PNT Advisory Board. He has also contributed significantly to international engagements with the United Nations, European Union, Japan, and China, including chairing the GPS/Galileo RF Compatibility working group in 2009.

Dr. Powell is the recipient of the Aerospace Corporation’s 2019 Aerospace President’s Technical Excellence award for development and prototyping the Blind Interference Signal Suppression (BLISS) anti-jamming technique. Additionally, Dr. Powell has made significant contributions to the Institute of Navigation, serving as chair of the ION’s Military Division, being a key contributor to the growth and expansion of the Joint Navigation Conference.

Dr. Powell is a Technical Fellow at The Aerospace Corporation at the GPS Directorate in Los Angeles. Dr. Powell received his BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University and MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and UCLA, respectively.