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It is an action that has now become almost an automatism. Leaving the house, getting into the car, setting the destination on the navigator, leaving. But behind the satellite navigators there is a fascinating and very complicated technology, and uses that go far beyond the apps we use every day on our smartphones: especially after the advent of the Internet of things, satellite navigation systems – which allow not only localization geographical, but also time synchronization – they have found applications in many sectors, including autonomous driving, logistics, banking systems, industry, communication networks, security. At the moment, according to the estimates ofEuropean space agency (Esa), the world satellite navigation market (between devices, applications and service provision) moves approx 150 billion euros every year, and is aimed at an “audience” of about six and a half billion of receivers all over the world, which they will become ten by 2031. And it is precisely in view of this growth that the Agency has just presented, during a press conference, its future plans in the sector, also in view of the Ministerial Council to be held in Paris at the end of this month. These are very ambitious plans, ranging from the launch of new generation satellites to the introduction of more robust and resilient technologies and even to the development of a navigation system for the exploration of the Moon. The first of its kind.
Little review. There satellite navigation – or, more precisely, the global navigation satellite system (global navigation satellite system) is a set of technologies that allow the geo-radiolocation and the land navigation, maritime or aerial using a network of artificial satellites in orbit. The principle of operation provides for the presence of a satellite that transmits a signal that contains its position and the exact time of transmission of the signal itself. The receiver compares this time with that measured by its internal clock and thus obtains the time it takes for the signal to arrive from the satellite, thus inferring the distance to the satellite. This operation is repeated with several satellites: by intersecting all the ideal spheres that have the satellites as their center and their distance from the receiver by radius, it is possible to locate it with precision. How much precision? It depends on many factors: first of all the number of satellites – the higher it is, the more precise the location is – and the possibility of reducing errors due to, for example, data noise and the fact that satellite signals deviate through the ionosphere.
The most famous satellite navigation system of all is the gpsacronym for Global positioning system, developed by the United States in the 1970s. But it is not the only one: there is also a Russian system, the Glonassoperational since December 2011, a Chinese system, Beidouan Indian system currently under development, Irnss. And then there is Europe, which did not stand by and watch. Two satellite navigation systems are currently operating on our continent: Galileoserved by 28 satellites and which currently broadcasts navigation signals around the world and beyond three billion usersused (among other things) for search and rescueand Egnosthat is to say European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Servicewhich improves the accuracy of GPS signals across Europe and is specifically designed forcivil aviation and for all conditions involving the safety of human lives. Systems that “They work perfectly – has explained Javier Benedictodirector of navigation at ESA – and that we look forward to improving and expanding with new projects “.
The directions
In the months and years to come, ESA will move on two fronts: expand and improve existing systems and implement new projects for a total investment of around half a billion euros. “We intend to launch twelve new generation satellites for Galileo – Benedicto says again – which will significantly improve its performance, especially in terms of precision, robustness, safety and reliability”, Reaching an accuracy of the order of tens of decimetres, higher than the GPS. There are four new projects: Leo-Pnta constellation of satellites in the low earth orbit; Genesisan ultra-precise navigation system (we are talking about one millimeter of accuracy) that will be used mainly for scientific purposes, in particular to monitor the smallest variations in the components of the Earth caused by events such as earthquakes And climate changes; Navispa project to support all European operations of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (Pnt); and finally Moonlightthe most ambitious, which provides (with the collaboration of NASA) the development of a lunar navigation system. “When Moonlight is operational -explains Javier Ventura Traversetproject Manager – it will be possible to use, on the Moon, a navigation system similar to the one we have on Earth “. If on the one hand the Moon system is more “simple” than the terrestrial one, at least from the point of view of satellite navigation, since the Moon does not have an ionosphere that disturbs the signals, on the other it is undeniable that the technological difficulties will be many : “We must take into account – says Ventura Traverset again – that on the Moon it is difficult to power receivers, that there are obvious lighting problems and that we do not have maps as accurate as those on Earth. However, we are convinced that by 2027 we will be able to offer the first navigation services: the United States was the first to do so on Earth, Europe will be a pioneer on the Moon. We hope to have a complete navigation service, served by four satellites, over the entire south lunar pole, the area in which the mission should move in 2029. Artemisand we plan to reach an accuracy of about 20-30 meters as regards the moon landing and about 10-20 meters as regards the surface “.
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