Continuous GNSS Performance Monitoring, Prediction and Information Services via GalTeC

W. Ehret, H. Su, E. Kubitz, O. Glaser, E. Blomenhofer

Abstract:	Currently two Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) are in operation, the GPS and in near future a fully deployed GLONASS. These will be complimented by Galileo which now operates with two experimental satellites: Giove-A and -B. Furthermore, several regional Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) which include EGNOS, WAAS, and MSAS are in a more or less advanced state of operation. All these GNSS or augmentation systems provide different levels of services to the users. These users require information about these Systems current or historical operational performance and status. However, each user community describes performance uniquely, in the background of an increasing variety of Satnav based application services. Also providers planning to introduce a certain commercial service need to assess the possible performances of each satellite navigation system or combinations, maybe in their own requirement parameters, before investing in designing and implementing. With the gradual introduction of Galileo and the stepwise replenishment of GPS and GLONASS with the next generation space vehicles, comparison of the GNSS performances will become more and more complex. Therefore, it seems appropriate to develop an independent Service Centre to evaluate actual and future services. Service level performance parameters such as accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity, possibly also others, will need to be analysed. Further, at a system level the SIS performances need to be monitored using statistical figures of merit. With this in mind, a project was initiated to develop a Galileo Service Centre - named GalTeC (Galileo Technology Centre), which would consider not only Galileo parameters but also these from the other GNSS. The project partners are Thales ATM GmbH and NavPos Systems. GalTeC is a development project under a contract of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and funded by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology. GalTeC will provide services to the public via an Internet application where on-line information as well as onrequest services will be available. The GalTeC Project which is currently under test, will be completed by December 2008. Once testing is successfully accomplished, GalTeC will be online accessible to the general public for evaluation and demonstration purposes. This paper presents, as a focal point, the capabilities of GalTeC in terms of offered products and organization of the services, with options for use by the online community. Some of the examples presented will be real time data depicting the performance of GPS and EGNOS. Other examples show the Simulation capability of the GalTeC Prediction Tool with special emphasis on the continuous prediction of performance items for the Galileo, GPS, GLONASS constellations and their combinations. Finally, this paper will give some indication into the future evolution of GalTeC.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008) September 16 - 19, 2008 Savannah International Convention Center Savannah, GA
Pages:	1265 - 1277
Cite this article:	Ehret, W., Su, H., Kubitz, E., Glaser, O., Blomenhofer, E., "Continuous GNSS Performance Monitoring, Prediction and Information Services via GalTeC," Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2008), Savannah, GA, September 2008, pp. 1265-1277.
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