Modular Open Architecture Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Hub

In Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2AD) environments where the Global Positioning System (GPS) is unreliable for estimating position, navigation, and timing (PNT), additional systems must be used. Inertial navigation systems (INS) and precision clocks may compensate PNT estimation during small time intervals, but these fall victim to non-stationary drifts which require periodic recalibration. This shortcoming necessitates alternative assured-PNT (A-PNT) technologies that may harmonize with onboard inertial measurement units, oscillators, and miscellaneous sensors. The focus of this effort is to enhance existing Toyon work in A-PNT estimation software technology and to develop a design for a PNT Hub solution that is compliant with the various modular open system approaches (MOSA/SOSA/ASPN/pntOS) in DoD development. We start with two novel PNT sources, currently under development, which may be correlated in an estimation model for an A-PNT solution: using low-earth orbit satellites as signals of opportunity and localizing via earth’s anomalous magnetic variations. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these solutions and their robustness properties relative to GPS, and how they may be integrated with INS and other sensors. Finally, a SOSA-compliant small size, weight, power, and cooling form-factor implementation is proposed for development and demonstration.