Global Positioning System location and timing data -- online

Global Positioning System location and timing data -- online
http://www.blackanthem.com/scitech/military_2006040602.html

GPS signal enhances navigation, timing

Blackanthem Military News
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE
Colo., April 06
2006 14:44

Warfighters now have a new way to receive Global Positioning System
location and timing data -- online.

The 2nd Space Operations Squadron here is delivering Zero Age of Data
Navigation Message Replacements, or ZAOD NMR, on the Secure Internet
Protocol Router Network.

The first end user of this new GPS data stream is Air Combat
Command's small diameter bomb effort, where the bomb's GPS
accuracy requirements are more stringent than what is available
directly from GPS satellites.

ACC, in conjunction with tactical exploitation of national
capabilities, needed the new GPS data stream now to prove the small
diameter bomb GPS accuracy concept.

The ability to deliver GPS position and time information through the
SIPRNet is a historic achievement, said Maj. Chuck Daniels, GPS
Operations Center Director.

"GPS signals in space are fragile," Major Daniels said. "Radio
frequency noise in the environment can disturb, disrupt or even destroy
those signals. But if you can deliver position and timing data via
robust networks into a net-centric environment, then in theory
you're no longer dependent on the signals in space.

"When placed into a network environment, GPS service makes a leap
forward into a more robust, more available, more accurate, more
anti-jam-capable system," he said.

Bill Feess of Aerospace Corporation and Art Dorsey of Lockheed Martin,
both advocates of net-centric GPS service, have long encouraged the
operations community to move toward networks capable of delivering GPS
information.

"This was an amazing team effort." Major Daniels said. "Our Overlook
Systems Technologies, Inc, contractors, P.J. Mendicki from Aerospace
and Dr. Dorsey from Lockheed-Martin were able to finish the work Mr.
Feess started so long ago.

"We had several different organizations come together and roll up their
sleeves, putting the mission first, and in a couple of weeks
accomplished the impossible," Major Daniels said.

Several Department of Defense agencies and other users are already
expressing interest in developing applications for the new technology.

"Warfighters, TENCAP users and GPS customers worldwide will long
benefit from this milestone event," said Lt. Col. Harold Martin, 2nd
Space Operations Squadron operations officer.

The applications for net-enabled GPS precision data are limited only by
end users' imaginations. Civil agencies such as the Coast Guard,
Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration want to use
similar net-centric GPS signals in the near future.

"Practically everyone is interested in more robust GPS timing and
location data -- people who use ATMs, the stock market and cell phone
networks all rely on net enabled GPS data today. So the market is
already here, and it's a pretty big market," he said.

"We are standing at the very beginning of another exciting era for
GPS," Major Daniels said. "In this new net-enabled position and timing
environment, the horizon is limited only by the imaginations of the
great thinkers and innovators. This is why we created the GPSOC -- to
improve the way we provide GPS service to users so they can go win wars
and do great things."


By Staff Sgt. Don Branum
50th Space Wing Public Affairs