ADVANCED GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)

WE HAVE PROPOSED AN ADVANCED MODULAR GPS RECEIVER ARCHITECTURE WHICH IS OPTIMIZED FOR PERFORMANCE, SIZE, AND POWER FOR SPACE-BASED NAVIGATION AND ATTITUDE DETERMINATION AND CONTROL. THE PROPOSED RECEIVER ARCHITECTURE OVERCOMES THE LIMITATIONS OF THE CONVENTIONAL GPS RECEIVERS AND PROVIDES A COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO THE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES. AN IMPORTANT INNOVATION INCORPORATED IN OUR ARCHITECTURE IS THE REAL-TIME RECONFIGURATION CAPABILITY IN RESPONSE TO FDI COMMANDS. THE PHASE I RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE THE PROPOSED ARCHITECTURE AND DETERMINE ITS FEASIBILITY TO MEET THE AIR FORCE OBJECTIVES. THE PROPOSED RECEIVER ARCHITECTURE WILL BE VALIDATED BY A PROTOTYPE RECEIVER HARDWARE IN PHASE II WHICH WILL IMPLEMENT THE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES. THE RESULTS OF THE PHASE II PROTOTYPE DEMONSTRATION WILL OFFER AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY BASE THAT CAN BE EXPLOITED BY THE AIR FORCE, NAVY, AND DARPA TO SUPPORT THEIR SPACE MISSIONS AT A REDUCED COST. THE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL BE THE SPIN-OFF TO OTHER SPACE PROGRAMS. THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLOIT THE GPS RECEIVER DEVELOPED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.