Image: Viasat
What’s New: Progress on the UK’s SBAS project, one of the initiatives cited in its ten point Resilient PNT plan.
Why It’s Important: Lots of governments issue strategies and make plans. Not as many actually carry things through. Especially in areas like PNT.
What Else to Know:
- It is a long way and a lot of money to make the UK SBAS a reality. The business case is still to be developed by the UK govt’s PNT office.
- It could be more expensive and less effective at meeting UK national goals than their plans for a clock network and eLoran. Both of those business cases are in development as well, we understand.
- Developing capability in space can be a national prestige and economic stimulation effort more than addressing a need. Look at India moving toward establishing their own GNSS even though four others already exist.
Viasat successfully demos the UK sovereign satellite navigation overlay for the 1st time
The test flight, flown from Cranfield Airport using the National Flying Laboratory Center‘s Saab 340B aircraft, showcased a UK-based SBAS that delivers more precise, reliable navigation data. The UK is no longer part of the EU’s similar European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), following its exit from the European Union. While EGNOS can still be used for non-safety applications in the UK, the trial aims to provide a first step toward a complementary UK SBAS which can be used for critical safety of life navigation services across air, land, and sea.
