GIOVE-A Signal In Space Test Activity at ESTEC

M. Spelat, M. Hollreiser, M. Crisici, M. Falcone

Abstract:	The European satellite navigation system Galileo is going to contribute to the worldwide coverage provided by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in terms of navigation, positioning and timing applications. The launch of the first test satellite GIOVE-A has marked a very significant step towards this goal. GIOVE-A has been transmitting nominal Galileo-like signals from the beginning of January 2006. In order to prepare and fully support the Signal-In-Space (SIS) experimentation activities, a dedicated test-bench has been set-up in the Navigation Laboratory at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC). This paper provides an overview of the signal experimentation and the test-bench describing the key elements, the RF constellation signal simulator Galileo Signal Validation Facility – (GSVF-v2) and the GSTB-v2 Experimental Test Receiver (GETR). It highlights the receiver main parameters and capabilities. In order to support in-orbit test, frequency filing and signal experimentation, a set of dedicated Matlab routines (called GETRdat Tool) able to deal with the GETR outputs, was eveloped. This paper summarises the capabilities of the GETRdat Tool. After test-bench validation and calibration the content of the paper focuses on receiver/signal performance analyses with particular attention to the GETR acquisition and code/carrier tracking performance under different Galileo reference scenarios, characterised by user dynamic and multipath environment (e.g. rural vehicle, rural pedestrian, fixed). Receiver performance under narrow band and wideband interference was analysed and some results are provided. Finally, results on the reception of “real” GIOVE-A signals from beginning of January 2006 are presented.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2006) September 26 - 29, 2006 Fort Worth Convention Center Fort Worth, TX
Pages:	981 - 993
Cite this article:	Spelat, M., Hollreiser, M., Crisici, M., Falcone, M., "GIOVE-A Signal In Space Test Activity at ESTEC," Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2006), Fort Worth, TX, September 2006, pp. 981-993.
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