NAVSYS selected to participate in SpaceWERX and Space Systems Command’s AltPNT Challenge

SpaceWERX launches second Innovate to Accelerate cohort focused on aerospace technology > One AFRL – One Fight > Article Display

El Segundo, Calif. (AFRL)  – SpaceWERX announced the launch of its latest I2A cohort, focused on two specific topics: advancing Alternative Positioning, Navigation and Timing, or AltPNT solutions and pioneering the Digital Spaceport of the Future. These initiatives underscore SpaceWERX's commitment to accelerating technological innovations in aerospace operations.

"We are thrilled to launch this innovative cohort focusing on AltPNT and the Digital Spaceport of the Future," said Arthur Grijalva, director of SpaceWERX. "This initiative marks a significant step towards transforming space operations through advanced technology, fostering collaboration among industry leaders, startups and government entities."

The I2A program, in partnership with New Mexico Technologies University and powered by Disruptive Technology Index, or DTI, was developed to address the ecosystem gap for companies that enter the SpaceWERX Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs by supporting cohort companies directly through the lifecycle of their Direct to Phase II, or D2P2, contracts with the primary focus of creating support activities that enable commercialization success.

Awarded companies begin with a AFWERX Challenge Definition Workshop, work closely with key space stakeholders, roll into a SpaceWERX specific topic D2P2 solicitation, and are automatically enrolled in the I2A program. The latest cohort kicked off in early July 2024, with a showcase during which awarded companies presented their technologies.

The AltPNT challenge, in partnership with Space Systems Command, aims to enhance the resilience and accuracy of satellite-based navigation systems beyond traditional Global Navigation Satellite systems. With 122 total proposals submitted, 20 proposals were selected for funding, with a total contract value of $34.8 million. The 20 selected companies in this cohort are invited to propose innovative approaches that ensure reliable and secure positioning services in challenging environments, to align with the evolving needs of defense and commercial sectors. The following companies have been selected for participation:

AOSense, Inc.Applied Systems Engineering Incorporated (ASEI) Devorto CorporationInfinity Systems Engineering LLCInnovative Scientific Solutions, Inc.Mesa Quantum Systems Inc, NAVSYS Corporation nou Systems, IncPolaris Sensor Technologies, Inc.Slingshot Aerospace, IncStarNav LLCTeraSenseThomas YoumansTrident Sensing LLCTRL11 IncTrustPoint, Inc.Xairos Systems IncXona Space Systems Inc.

President & CEO at NAVSYS Corporation joined Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI) for a conversation on the future of PNT

Dr. Alison Brown, President & CEO at NAVSYS Corporation was welcomed by Arun Seraphin at Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI) for a conversation on the future of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT).

NAVSYS’s Dr. Alison Brown joined to discuss all things GPS, from what the military uses it for, to threats to the system, to alternatives that can support our military capabilities in a GPS-denied environment. You can watch the episode on ETI's Youtube channel or Advanced AI Capabilities (youtube.com)

NAVSYS Corporation Featured as a Top Satellite Solutions Providers 2024

Aerospace and Defense Review Magazine has featured NAVSYS Corporation as a Top Satellite Solutions Providers for its 2024 special edition on satellite. NAVSYS has pioneered numerous innovations to advance navigation capabilities and was selected for addressing improvements in satellite technologies amid GPS challenges with its Positioning, Navigation and Timing as a Service (PNTaaS) technology.

 NAVSYS Corporation | Top Satellite Solutions Company-2024 (aerospacedefensereview.com)

NAVSYS Corporation wins $4.4M contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory for a Commercial Alternative Positioning, Navigation and Timing Solution

May 30, 2024

To improve both the robustness and resiliency of the Department’s access to positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development (RAPID) Laboratory is conducting research and development into potential commercial, space-based alternatives to improve PNT solutions for DoD missions when GPS is available and replace GPS for some period of time should it not be available.  NAVSYS has been awarded a contract under AFRL’s Commercial Alternative Positioning, Navigation and Timing for RAPID (CAPR) program to develop and mature key elements of their PNTaaS (PNT as a Service) system architecture needed to support operations around the world where GPS is degraded or denied. 

The widespread adoption of GPS for both military and civil applications, such as transportation, agriculture, aviation and emergency services has also created a set of security vulnerabilities for these applications, when GPS service is denied.  As reported by GPS world, widespread GPS jamming occurred in eastern Europe in March 2024 that impacted more than 1,600 aircraft over a period of two days.  Similar events are now being reported on a frequent basis by gpsjam.org both in eastern Europe and in the eastern Mediterranean where the Israel-Hamas and Israel-Hezbollah conflicts are taking place.  

NAVSYS’ PNTaaS solution is designed to leverage existing SATCOM signals to provide PNT services in the absence of GPS.  Their technology leverages broadband signals operating outside of the L-band frequencies where GPS and other GNSS solutions are being jammed.  Moreover, the multiple frequency allocations for SATCOM, including C-band, Ku and K-band, provide high levels of resilience while providing equivalent PNT performance to GPS when leveraging the PNTaaS system’s data services.  Test results previously published by NAVSYS have demonstrated the system’s capability to use satellites operated by Intelsat, Viasat, Eutelsat, SES and Telesat to deliver back-up PNT capability to GPS.

 “Affordable alternatives to GPS and GNSS are critically needed to support PNT applications in areas where GPS is now being denied”, said Dr. Alison Brown, CEO of NAVSYS. “We are excited about working with AFRL and our SATCOM partners to accelerate deployment of the PNTaaS capability to provide resilient PNT alternatives when GPS in unavailable.”

NAVSYS will showcase these solutions at the Joint Navigation Conference held June 3-6 in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.

NAVSYS WINS $250,000 ADVANCED INDUSTRIES EARLY-STAGE CAPITAL AND RETENTION AWARD

November 16, 2023

NAVSYS is proud to announce the award of a $250,000 Advanced Industries Early State Capital and Retention grant. Each year, the Colorado Department of Economic Development and International Trade partners with the Global Business Development division and advanced industry trade associations to administer this grant, aiming to support early-stage technologies. NAVSYS won this grant to support the development of a technology called PNTaaS or Position, Navigation, Timing as a Service. NAVSYS is developing Positioning, Navigation and Timing as a Service (PNTaaS) to enable existing broadband SATCOM satellites to be used as signals of opportunity (SoOP) to allow Assured PNT inertial and clock devices to maintain accurate positioning and timing in long-term GPS outages.

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a constellation of orbiting satellites that provides position, navigation, and timing data to users globally, 24/7/365. Since 2007, it has become the most widely used Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and it plays a critical role in our society today. Due to its prevalence, it is vulnerable to interruption, spoofing or jamming of signals resulting in diminishing communications links. This emerging challenge requires the development of alternative systems to provide position, navigation and timing data that does not rely on GPS. The current generation of alternative GNSS, categorically named Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) solutions are limited in the frequencies they use, and they are not built on an open-source model, thereby limited in their deployment to precise equipment and software platforms. Additionally, these A-PNT systems can operate without GPS for short durations– which is an untenable limitation for many users and SATCOM providers.

NAVSYS is developing a “signal-sharing” open-source software as a service that can provide position, navigation, and timing data without necessitating the ownership of satellites. NAVSYS has developed PNTaaS Software Defined Radios (SDRs) that can receive and process the SATCOM SoOP signals using the PNTaaS published data. Subscribers can access the PNTaaS data from our service, leveraging an Internet of Things (IoT) protocol, to receive the precise timing and signal content needed to use these SATCOM signals for PNT. Through integration with SATCOM partners’ existing infrastructure, the PNTaaS solution can rapidly deliver global PNT coverage to subscribers. This innovative solution delivers a PNT capability that can operate in areas where GPS is denied and provide resilient precision positioning and timing solutions for military and commercial high reliability applications, including communications network, power distribution systems and financial services.

The future of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is alternative PNT, and NAVSYS is leading the way with PNTaaS. This Advanced Industries Early State Capital and Retention Grant will absolutely accelerate NAVSYS’ efforts and we are excited and grateful for the support.