India's GAGAN SBAS Goes Operational -Gets APV1 Certification- World's #1 To Serve Equatorial Region

[Chanakya's_Chant]

GPS top-up GAGAN is up and ready​

Passengers can expect shorter travel time, airlines can save fuel while airports can cut congestion​

On May 19, GAGAN, the Rs. 774-crore Indian ‘augmentation’ to GPS, beamed its first signals and became fully ready for use.

India becomes the first country to offer satellite-based fine-tuning of GPS in the challenging equatorial region of severe ionospheric variations. GAGAN is built over the US military's location-telling Global Positioning System. It reached fruition on April 21 when it was certified for APV1 — or precision vertical guidance for planes to land safely — according to its co-creator, the Indian Space Research Organisation. An earlier RMV 0.6 certification for en route navigation came in 2013.

Airports Authority of India and ISRO initiated GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation over a decade ago to smoothen air traffic in the country.

Officials associated with it say that when airlines fit a GAGAN receiver on planes and use it, fliers can expect shorter air routes and travel time; fuel and other savings for airlines; while airports can cut congestion and manage air traffic better. Its non-aviation spinoffs, too, are said to be enormous.

An AAI official told The Hindu that with the infrastructure ready, the challenge is in ensuring it is used. The government may be urged to make it mandatory for specific aviation users to use GAGAN receivers, starting with smaller, general aviation planes.

As in Europe and the US, it would take a long time to fit Airbus and Boeing planes with the Indian receivers, the official said.

A.S. Ganeshan, Director of ISRO SatNav Programme, said pilots and other users of GPS would now have near-exact, highly reliable and consistent data on position, height from ground and time. The space agency has provided a transponder each on GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and the upcoming GSAT-15 satellites.

Should GPS signals ‘go bad’, an aircraft approaching an Indian airport would now get landing help within six seconds.

To land, it needs a visibility of 4,000 metres or must turn back. With GAGAN signals, even at a 1,000-metre visibility will do, without ILS landing aids.

AAI is tuning up ground systems at Belagavi, Ahmedabad and four other airports and enthusing airlines and receiver-makers to join in.

Source:- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/gps-topup-gagan-is-up-and-ready/article7257994.ece

 

[PatriotLover]

Was the Malaysian flight using the Indian nav system?

 

[kaku1]

Was the Malaysian flight using the Indian nav system?

We have contacts with aliens, so we gave wrong coordinates to them, and aliens abduct them.

 

[PatriotLover]

We have contacts with aliens, so we gave wrong coordinates to them, and aliens abduct them.

You start trolling to a serious question. Typical Indian.

 

[kaku1]

You start trolling to a serious question. Typical Indian.

Rofl, if you have brain, then you never asked this question.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Was the Malaysian flight using the Indian nav system?

No.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

ISRO will provide satellite-generated information to the railways through space technology-based tools that will provide safety at unmanned level crossings.

Isro's Gagan to Provide Navigational Support to Indian Railways | NDTV Gadgets

 

[Echo_419]

ISRO will provide satellite-generated information to the railways through space technology-based tools that will provide safety at unmanned level crossings.

Isro's Gagan to Provide Navigational Support to Indian Railways | NDTV Gadgets

ISRO will provide satellite-generated information to the railways through space technology-based tools that will provide safety at unmanned level crossings.

Isro's Gagan to Provide Navigational Support to Indian Railways | NDTV Gadgets

Brilliant news

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

ISRO's GAGAN to help planes navigate skyscrapers​

Today the prior approval of Air ports Authority of India (AAI) is required for construction of any building more than seven storeys high within 20km of the airport. This restriction will soon be relaxed. Ahmedabad will be one of the first airports in the country to get the Ground-Based Augmentation system (GBAS).

Isro's Gagan to help planes navigate skyscrapers - The Times of India

Safer flying begins soon - Union civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju will formally launch the Gagan satellite-based navigation system for the use by the aviation industry on Monday.

Safer flying begins soon | The Asian Age

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

ISRO's GAGAN Satellite-Based Navigation System Launched

India on Monday launched its satellite-based air navigation services, thereby joining a select league comprising the US, Europe Union (EU) and Japan which have similar systems.

Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju dedicated the services to the nation in a ceremony in New Delhi.

The system - known as Gagan or global positioning system (GPS) aided geo-augmented navigation system - is intended to provide accurate navigation services over the Bay of Bengal, South East Asia, Indian Ocean, Middle East, and African regions.

Gagan works by augmenting and relaying data from GPS satellites with the help of two augmentation satellites and 15 earth-based reference stations.

The process corrects any anomalies in the position data and gives accurate routes, landing guidance and time saving information to the pilots.

Gagan also fills a vital gap between EU's "European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service" (EGNOS) and Japan's "Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System" (MSAS) coverage areas.

"It took 15 years to achieve this feat. When Indians work as a team they deliver. Now the need is to spread the word about the potential uses of this system," Raju said.

"We will reach out to the end users, other government departments and even the neighbouring countries which can use this system."

A.S. Ganeshan, project director, Gagan, Isro Satellite Centre said: "At any given time there are 10-11 GPS satellites over India. The GPS co-ordinates are useful but not always accurate."

(Also See:Isro's Gagan to Provide Navigational Support to Indian Railways)

"The augmentation satellites with Gagan payload and the earth reference stations gives us a clear and more accurate data for navigation and other purposes," Ganeshan elaborated to IANS.

The system utilises the satellite-based wide area augmentation system (SBAS) technology which has been developed by Raytheon.

Gagan has been jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and Airports Authority of India (AAI). The system has been completed in 15 years at a total cost of Rs.774 crores.

It is intended to serve as a low-cost substitute for instrument landing system (ILS) and provide very accurate route guidance for the aircraft to save time and fuel.

Fuel cost is a major consideration in the Indian aviation scenario as 45-50 percent of total cost is dependent on it.

Fuel in India is nearly 50-55 percent costlier than in other neighbouring countries like Singapore or Dubai due to the addition of state levies ranging from 3-35 percent.

Accurate guidance for planning shorter routes and safer landing patterns is expected to provide the aviation sector cost-saving options.

The technology has one major drawback that only those aircraft that are fitted with SBAS will be able to use the new technology.

Cost of refurbishing aircraft with new equipment and downtime for electronic restructuring are expenses that the financially-stressed Indian airline industry does not seem comfortable having to bear.

However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made it clear that the new system will not be forced upon the airline industry.

"There are compatibility issues. But we have left it to the industry to decide on whether to use the new system or not," M. Sathiyavathy, director general of DGCA said on the sidelines of the event.

Meanwhile, AAI has proposed that smaller aircraft can adopt the new technology and that acquisition norms can be made in such a way that promotes the usage of such a system.

"To begin with smaller aircraft can be retro-fitted to use the system. Aircraft acquisition guidelines can also be made in such a way that new technology-enabled planes are bought," S.V. Satish, general manager, air traffic management-Gagan, AAI informed IANS.

The system and its benefits will be displayed by the AAI to neighbouring countries during a meeting of Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean countries to be held in New Delhi from August 31 to September 4, later this year.

Isro will also hold an end-user summit where it will display the system to other industries in September.

Internationally, the system has aroused curiosity from South Korea, Japan and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) nations.

"We would like the system to spread to other neighbouring regions like Asean. The system current can be expanded to 45 earth reference stations," Nik Khanna, country director, Raytheon India, told IANS.

Source:- Isro's Gagan Satellite-Based Navigation System Launched | NDTV Gadgets

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Civil Aviation
13-July, 2015 16:05 IST
Civil Aviation Minister Launches GAGAN System

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, formally launched the GAGAN system (GPS AIDED GEO AUGMENTED NAVIGATION) at a function here today. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister congratulated the entire team on development of the GAGAN project.

GAGAN is the first SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) in the world certified for Approach with Vertical Guidance operating in the Equatorial Ionospheric region and the third SBAS to have achieved this feat, after WAAS of USA and EGNOS of Europe. GAGAN was already certified for en route operation since 30th December 2013.

GAGAN is a joint effort of Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In the aviation field, GAGAN will support more direct air routes, reduce fuel consumption and improve safety. In addition, GAGAN provides benefits to agriculture, all modes of transportation and public services such a defence services, security agencies and disaster recovery management by aiding in search and rescue to locate the disaster zone accurately.

Since 14th February 2014, GAGAN has been continuously providing navigation signals from GSAT-8 and GSAT-10 satellites launched by ISRO, augmenting the performance of GPS signals received over Indian Airspace.

Shri R.N.Choubey, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Smt M.Sathiyavathy, Director General of Civil Aviation, Shri R.K.Srivastava, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Dr. Y.V.N.Krishnamurthy, Scientific Secretary,ISRO were also present on the occasion.

****

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

New navigation system Gagan to ease landing in airports - Do you get irritated because of the aircraft you are flying in taking too much time circling over Delhi or Mumbai before landing, or the lack of late flights to Allahabad? India has adopted a new navigation system that may help address some of these issues. The GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation, or Gagan, can allow as many as 50 aircraft to safely operate in airspace that two planes take at present.

It can also help ease landing in airports that are poorly lit and do not have instrument landing systems. India, which spent Rs 774 crore to develop the system indigenously, launched it on July 13 with little fanfare. Only the US, European countries and Japan have similar systems in place.

Current rules say two aircraft must maintain a distance of 18 kilometres between them to ensure safe operations. With Gagan, that distance can be reduced to as little as 360 metres, said a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official.

New navigation system Gagan to ease landing in airports - The Economic Times

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/te...nstellation/article19033176.ece?homepage=true


‘Its purpose is to provide ‘reliable position, navigation and timing services over India and neighbourhood’
Navigation Indian Constellation (NavIC) is an independent Indian satellite-based positioning system for critical national applications. The purpose is to provide “reliable position, navigation and timing services over India and its neighbourhood.” NavIC consists of a constellation of seven satellites and was named so by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Three of the satellites are in a geostationary orbit and four in a geosynchronous one. This means they will be visible at all times in the Indian region. All the seven satellites of NavIC, namely, IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, ID,1E, 1F and 1G were successfully launched on July 2, 2013, April 4, 2014, Oct. 16, 2014, March 28, 2015, Jan. 20, 2016, March 10, 2016 and April 28, 2016 respectively.

Because navigation requires the most accurate clocks, the ₹1,420-crore NavIC relies on rubidium clocks. Each of the seven satellites has three of them on-board. However, this January, the Indian Space Research Organisation confirmed that the clocks on the first satellite, IRNSS-1A had failed on June 2016.


According to the Indian space agency, the applications of IRNSS are: terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation, vehicle tracking and fleet management, terrestrial navigation for hikers and travellers, disaster management, integration with mobile phones, mapping and geodetic data capture and visual and voice navigation for drivers. Though six of the satellites are working fine, the one, faulty one means the “GPS” isn’t working as accurately as it ought to be.

A. S.Kiran Kumar, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, told the Hindu that without its clocks, the IRNSS-1A “will give a coarse value. It will not be used for computation. Messages from it will still be used.”

ISRO was trying to revive the clocks on 1A and readying one of the two back-up navigation satellites to replace it in space in the second half of this year. Rubidium clocks were the previous standard in accurate clocks and most organisations, that need precise time estimates, need cesium clocks. It is learnt that future clocks on such satellites, each with a lifespan of 10 years, will host such clocks.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

He probably meant IRNSS's global coverage.

I can guarantee you most people don't understand the difference between IRNSS and GAGAN.

They don't understand the difference between GNSS, and SBAS.