The Contribution of Space Technologies to Arctic Policy Priorities

Global Positioning System (GPS) Relevance to Arctic Interests

As one of several Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), GPS contributes to all policy priorities in the Arctic – environment, economic development, sovereignty and security and indigenous and social development. GPS provides the critical positioning, navigation and timing services that are essential for Arctic operations, including development of resources, movement of people and goods under extreme conditions, voice and data communications, and disaster response.

GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS) Facts in Brief Country: Russia

Operations: Russian Aerospace Defence Forces Status: Operational since 1982, 31 satellites in orbit 24 operational, 3 spares, 1 each in commissioning and flight test, and 2 in maintenance Mission Duration: Continuous Coverage: Global coverage, with at least 5 satellites visible at any time from any place; each satellite circles the Earth twice daily Orbit: Medium earth orbit at 19,100 km altitude Key Service Areas: Positioning (surveying, location based services, etc.); navigation (air, marine, road and rail transportation, personal direction-finding, tracking and surveillance, etc.); and timing (synchronization of telecom and computer networks, power grids, time stamping for banking, legal, and shipping transactions, etc.) Web link: http://www.glonass-ianc.rsa.ru/en/index.php GLONASS complements and provides an alternative to the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS) and serves the needs of military and civilian users in Russia and civilian users worldwide. According to data published by the Russian System of Differential Correction and Monitoring, as of 2010 the precisions of GLONASS navigation definitions for latitude and longitude at the 95% confidence level were 4.46-7.38 m, as compared to 2.00-8.76 m for GPS. At high latitudes, GLONASS’ accuracy is better than that of GPS due to the orbital position of its satellites. Some modern receivers are able to use both GLONASS and GPS satellites together, and when using both navigation systems simultaneously, precisions of GLONASS/GPS navigation definitions were 2.37—4.65 m. In May 2009, the Russian Federal Space Agency advised that the expansion of GLONASS’s constellation and improvements in the ground segment would increase the navigation definition of GLONASS to an accuracy of 2.8 m by 2011. In particular, the latest satellite design, GLONASS-K, which is a substantial improvement over the previous generation, has the ability to double the system’s accuracy.

Mission Objectives

System Capabilities

Position and changes in position

Measured Parameters

As one of several GNSS, GLONASS contributes to all policy priorities in the Arctic – environment, economic development, sovereignty and security and indigenous and social development. GLONASS provides the critical positioning, navigation and timing services that are essential for Arctic operations, including development of resources, movement of people and goods under extreme conditions, voice and data communications, and disaster response.

Relevance to Arctic Interests

Compass/BeiDou-2 Facts in Brief

Country: China Operations: China National Space Administration

Status: As of the end of 2011, nine satellites were operational; the constellation will consist of 35 satellites when fully operational (5 geostationary orbit satellites, 27 in medium earth orbit and three in inclined geostationary orbit) by 2020. Mission Duration: Design life of five years Coverage: Global coverage, with at least six satellites visible at any time from any place; each satellite circles the Earth in approximately 14 hours Orbit: Medium earth orbit at 23, 222 km altitude Key Service Areas: Positioning (surveying, location based services, etc.); navigation (air, marine, road and rail transportation, personal direction-finding, tracking and surveillance, etc.); and timing (synchronization of telecom and computer networks, power grids, time stamping for banking, legal, and shipping transactions, etc.) Web link: http://www.esa.int/esaNA/galileo.html Compass/BeiDou-2 will bring China into the global satellite radionavigation market and will provide global access to the free service, providing a location-tracking accuracy of 10 m. Compass /Beidou-2 is being developed in three phases. Phase I was BeiDou Navigation Satellite Demonstration System, which was established in 2000 and has been offering limited services with three satellites. Phase II is BeiDou Navigation Satellite (regional) System to provide service for areas in China and its surrounding areas from 2012 with 10 satellites. Phase III is BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to be established completely and provide global service by 2020 with 35 satellites. Compass/BeiDou-2 will provide two levels of service: free service to civilians (available globally) and licensed service to Chinese government and military users. The free service will have a 10 meter location-tracking accuracy, will synchronize clocks with an accuracy of 10 ns, and measure speeds within 0.2 m/s. The licensed service will be more accurate than the free service, can be used for communication, and will supply information about the system status to the users.

Mission Objectives

System Capabilities

Position and changes in position

Measured Parameters

CONTRIBUTION OF SPACE TECHNOLOGIES TO ARCTIC POLICY PRIORITIES 88