Series 1

Survey of GNSS Systems, Current and Future

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Room: Windsong 1-2

Registration fee:
$550 member / $600 non-member if registered and paid by August 14
$620 member / $670 non-member if payment is received after August 14

SURVEY OF GNSS SYSTEMS, CURRENT AND FUTURE
CHAIR: Dr. Ignacio Fernandez-Hernandez, European Commission

Introduction to GNSS and Current Systems in Operation
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
This tutorial briefly introduces the fundamentals of satellite navigation and then presents a survey of the GNSS currently in operation: GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and GLONASS, as well as the regional systems NavIC and QZSS. It explains their satellite and ground segments, signals, messages, and services, highlighting the similarities and differences among them.

Dr. John Raquet is currently the director of the IS4S Dayton site, where he leads the development of open-architecture approaches to navigation systems. Previously, he was the founding director of the Autonomy and Navigation Technology Center at the Air Force Institute of Technology. He is an ION Fellow.

Break: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

 
Using GNSS: Receiver-Side View
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
This tutorial explains how the different GNSS constellations and signals are used in our devices. It presents how signals are tracked in different devices and regions, and how their signal strength, accuracy, and availability affect the user experience, highlighting the main current challenges. The tutorial also shows how we can observe these behaviors ourselves on our devices.

Dr. Frank van Diggelen is a Distinguished Engineer at Google, working on high-accuracy GNSS. He is a pioneer in Assisted GNSS, and the author of two GNSS textbooks. He also teaches GPS: including the on-line GPS course from Stanford University and Coursera, available on YouTube.

 
Lunch: 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Integrity and Augmentations
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
This tutorial first covers the fundamental concepts of GNSS integrity and their application to civil aviation. Building on those concepts, the tutorial presents the main integrity augmentation systems used today, including Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS), Ground-Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS), and Aircraft-Based Augmentation Systems (ABAS). The tutorial also covers GNSS performance evaluation and state-of-the-art methodologies to support safety-of-life applications.

Dr. Mathieu Joerger is an associate professor at Virginia Tech and the associate director of the US DOT University Transportation Center: CARNATIONS, the Center for Assured and Resilient Navigation in Advanced Transportation Systems. He currently serves as the editor-in-chief of NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation.

 
Break: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

High Accuracy, Authentication, and Future Directions of GNSS
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
This tutorial covers other GNSS improvements that are already available or upcoming. It outlines the concepts of higher-accuracy positioning techniques, including differential and absolute positioning methods such as DGNSS, RTK, and PPP. It also presents a survey of current global or regional navigation systems providing PPP/PPP-RTK services. Next, the tutorial presents GNSS capabilities under development or already in operation to protect against spoofing, including message authentication and spreading code protection, as well as other directions for GNSS evolution.

Dr. Rui Hirokawa is the Principal Expert of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, where he leads the technical development of various space and defense programs, including satellite navigation. He is also working on international standardization and interoperability for high-accuracy GNSS with the RTCM and the United Nations ICG.

Dr. Ignacio Fernández Hernández is with the European Commission, where he leads the design and development of the Galileo high-accuracy and authentication services. He also chairs several international groups on GNSS resilience, PPP, and authentication.

 
Break: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

 
LEO PNT and Other Signals and Systems 
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This tutorial presents the main unresolved challenges in current GNSS and to what extent LEO PNT can overcome them. It then presents the LEO PNT initiatives PULSAR and Celeste, currently under development, highlighting the target constellation, frequency bands, signal modulations, and expected user performance. The tutorial concludes with a survey of other PNT signals and systems, including satellite and terrestrial communication networks.

Dr. Thyagaraja Marathe is a Staff Research Engineer at Xona Space Systems, focusing on PNT with LEO satellite constellations. His background spans advanced GNSS technologies, including precise positioning, corrections, and receiver innovation.

Dr. Roberto Prieto-Cerdeira is the head of the LEO-PNT Project in the Directorate of Navigation of the European Space Agency. Previously, he worked in the Galileo 2nd Generation Satellite as Payload Manager and was responsible for technology developments and advanced R&D studies related to the evolution of European GNSS Systems.

Series 2

Advanced Algorithms for Navigation

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Room: Windsong 3-4

Registration fee:
$550 member / $600 non-member if registered and paid by August 14
$620 member / $670 non-member if payment is received after August 14

ADVANCED ALGORITHMS FOR NAVIGATION
CHAIR:  Dr. Clark Taylor, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Particle Filters
Particle filters are a Bayesian estimation method for nonlinear, non-Gaussian systems. This tutorial presents key particle filter variants, explains their principles through practical examples, and shows how they can be applied to navigation problems, including wireless SLAM-related scenarios.

Dr. Christian Gentner heads DLR’s Communications Systems Department, with a research focus on robust localization and navigation in GNSS-denied environments.

Break 10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Distributed Estimation
This tutorial introduces the core principles of distributed estimation for networked autonomous systems. We cover consensus-based information fusion, covariance intersection for consistent estimation under unknown correlations, and information-theoretic frameworks for decentralized decision-making. The concepts are illustrated through two applied case studies: (i) distributed target tracking over a sensor network, and (ii) cooperative localization and navigation, where agents leverage inter-vehicle ranging and shared observations to reduce and bound state uncertainty without relying on a centralized fusion node.

Rajnikant Sharma is a PNT Research Engineer at IS4S, working on problems related to collaborative autonomy and navigation.

Break 11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Factor Graphs
This tutorial explains factor graph optimization for navigation and compares it with the extended Kalman filter in estimation accuracy, consistency, smoothing capability, computational structure, and deployment tradeoffs. Using intuitive examples and practical workflows, it helps attendees understand when FGO outperforms EKF, when EKF remains preferable, and how to choose rigorously.

Dr. Li-Ta Hsu is an Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, specializing in GNSS, sensor fusion, and robust navigation.

Lunch 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Machine Learning and GNSS Processing
This tutorial will teach modern machine learning (ML) techniques for navigation, spanning learned filters, convolutional and graph neural networks, Neural Radiance Fields, and foundation models. Drawing from both foundational theory and current research, the course will cover a range of methods to reflect the rapidly evolving ML landscape. Applications include improving GNSS positioning accuracy, multi-sensor fusion, and uncertainty quantification. Participants will receive executable notebooks and curated resources for practical implementation beyond the session.

Dr. Adyasha Mohanty is a faculty member at Harvey Mudd College, where she directs the robotics research lab. Her research is on hybrid physics and machine learning navigation for multi-sensor-based autonomous systems. She earned her Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 2024.

Break 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Machine Learning for Relative Navigation Applications
This talk presents monocular computer vision algorithms enabling autonomous mid-flight docking between airborne vehicles. Independent moving platforms can detect, track, approach, and dock using a single camera, producing accurate 6DoF pose estimates. The sensor requires no bore-sighting or extrinsic calibration, despite free rotation and translation in the platform's body frame.

Dr. Scott Nykl is a Computer Science professor at the Air Force Institute of Technology, focusing on vision-based relative navigation for airborne docking.

Break 3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Technology Developments in AI/ML: From Prompts to Agents
As AI integrates invisibly into daily workflows, understanding practical utility versus high-level marketing becomes critical. We explore effective tools and techniques while navigating significant pitfalls in output quality and data security. The curriculum challenges industry buzzwords, specifically questioning "Prompt Engineering" as a lasting discipline. While making this case, we provide deep dives into effective prompting techniques and parameters that influence model behavior. The central focus is on LLM evolution from reactive generators to Agentic AI. Participants explore how models approach complex problems and transition from using AI as a search engine to a proactive partner. Mechanism transparency grounds every discussion in underlying mechanics. By lifting the veil of mystery surrounding these technologies, this course returns agency to users, transforming them from passive consumers into informed, strategic operators of AI systems.

Brian Zufelt is the Deputy Program Manager for PNT programs at Canyon with over 18 years of experience in embedded systems, computer vision, and machine learning. 

Renee Yazdi is the Deputy Lead Engineer for Canyon, where she primarily supports Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) PNT projects, SWAC, SDUE, and Internal Research and Development (IR&D) efforts. 

Series 3

Space and Spacecraft Navigation

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Room: Windsong 7-8

Registration fee:
$550 member / $600 non-member if registered and paid by August 14
$620 member / $670 non-member if payment is received after August 14

SPACE and SPACECRAFT NAVIGATION
CHAIR: Dr. Joanna Hinks, AFRL Space Vehicles

Reference Frames, Time Systems, and Orbital Regimes for Lunar and Cislunar Orbits
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
This tutorial introduces the fundamentals of coordinate frames, time systems, and orbital regimes required for spacecraft navigation in lunar orbits and cislunar space. Emphasis is placed on cislunar dynamics, reference-frame transformations, and relativistic effects affecting time transfer and synchronization, providing a foundation for lunar positioning, navigation, and timing.

Dr. Keidai Iiyama received a PhD from Stanford University, specializing in lunar positioning, navigation, and timing, with a focus on orbit determination and time synchronization for lunar satellites.

Break: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Weak-Signal GNSS Beyond GEO Orbit
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
This tutorial presents weak-signal GNSS processing beyond GEO, addressing challenges outside the traditional Space Service Volume in cis-lunar environments. Signal characteristics, link budgets, antenna geometry, and snapshot-based navigation using raw measurements will be discussed. Multiple high-altitude and lunar datasets, including results from the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment, will illustrate performance and design considerations for autonomous space navigation.

Dr. Kirsten Strandjord is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Minnesota, specializing in GNSS, PNT, and cis-lunar navigation.  

Lunch: 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Lunar and Planetary Surface Navigation
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Navigation on the lunar, Martian, and other planetary surfaces presents unique challenges that distinguish it from GNSS-denied terrestrial navigation. This tutorial surveys these challenges and the key design choices involved in planetary rover navigation, including onboard map representations, reference frame definitions, and the selection of a navigation frame, and tradeoffs between onboard autonomy and communication with ground or orbiting assets. We further examine onboard sensing modalities (e.g., inertial, optical, LiDAR) and core paradigms for autonomous surface navigation (e.g., map-based localization, visual-inertial odometry, and SLAM). To anchor the discussion, examples from active missions, including the Mars Perseverance rover, and planned future lunar exploration missions are also presented.

Dr. Tara Mina is a research engineer in the Space Exploration Analysis Laboratory at Georgia Tech. She received her PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2023. Her current work focuses on spacecraft navigation and sensor fusion for lunar and planetary missions.

Break: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Deep Space Navigation Techniques and Algorithms
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
This course will focus on deep-space navigation topics, including dynamics and measurement models specific to spacecraft navigation, standard estimation algorithms such as the Kalman filter, and performance analysis. This course will spend time on theory from a mathematical-derivation perspective, example problems, and practical implementation considerations.

Ryan Mitch is a senior member of the Astrodynamics and Controls Group (SAC) in the JHU/APL Space Exploration Sector, where he has served as both the Navigation Section Supervisor and the Space Systems and Analysis Branch’s Technologist.

Break: 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

PNT for LEO Constellations
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Large-scale low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations transmitting alternative PNT signals will require accurate orbit and clock knowledge in real time, with less dependence on GNSS than in today’s commercial and scientific LEO satellite missions.  This lecture will describe the POD models, measurements, and estimation techniques required to meet this growing need.

Dr. Mikaela Dobbin is a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she earned her PhD in Aerospace Engineering in April 2026. Her work focuses on LEO-based PNT systems.