Globalstar, Inc. of Covington, LA (NYSE American: GSAT) and Echo Ridge,
LLC of Sterling, VA have informed the U.S. Department of Transportation
that the companies have developed and are prepared to participate in and
support a live field demonstration of a stand-alone positioning,
navigation, and timing (PNT) capability that can provide accurate and
reliable PNT services to backup and/or complement GPS in case of GPS
unavailability or unreliability. The companies responded on June 3 to a
DOT announcement and request for information regarding DOT’s plans to
conduct a field demonstration of technologies capable of providing
backup and/or complementary PNT in the event of a temporary disruption
to GPS. Globalstar and Echo Ridge informed the DOT that all required
elements are available now for demonstration of a backup system that
provides diversity of frequency, constellation, and signal to the
existing GPS system, as well as independent ground and management
infrastructure.
The Globalstar-Echo Ridge system is based on new Augmented Positioning
System (APS) technology that uses ordinary signals from communications
satellites (not special positioning/navigation signals, such as GPS) to
produce accurate position and timing information in compatible user
devices. No new infrastructure is needed; Globalstar’s constellation of
24 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites and Echo Ridge software and
compatible devices at the user end provide the building blocks for the
APS-based system. APS technology has been successfully demonstrated in
diverse environments and incorporates multiple features that boost
availability and reliability to produce accurate PNT information under
circumstances that can challenge or disable GPS/GNSS technology. The
technology can work independently of GPS and other global navigation
satellite systems and is designed to maintain high performance in a wide
range of operating environments.
The proposed system responds to increasing user concerns about GPS
vulnerability and the critical importance of accurate PNT information to
support essential services and infrastructure.
“The Department of Transportation, coordinating with the Department of
Homeland Security and Department of Defense, has recognized the need to
ensure that reliable PNT information remains available to support U.S.
critical infrastructure, even in case of GPS interruption,” said Joe
Kennedy, President of Echo Ridge. “Globalstar and Echo Ridge are pleased
to be able to offer to DOT a demonstration of our unique, independent
assured PNT technology that can provide a dependable backup and/or
complement to GPS.”
About Globalstar
Globalstar,
Inc. is a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services
to individuals, governments, and businesses in industries such as
emergency management, marine, logging, oil & gas and outdoor recreation.
Globalstar products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, the
Sat-Fi satellite hotspot, Simplex and Duplex satellite data modems,
tracking devices and service packages. Globalstar’s two-way duplex,
one-way simplex and SPOT products transmit more than 1.3 billion
messages a year. The company’s network of 24 satellites covers over 80%
of the Earth’s surface and uses a modern W-CDMA air interface. In 2018,
the company launched its Globalstar Automotive division to support
future connected and autonomous vehicles and intelligent transportation
systems by assisting automotive OEMs and other ecosystem partners to
implement connectivity solutions for vehicles and critical
transportation infrastructure.
About Echo Ridge
Echo Ridge,
LLC is a Northern Virginia small business that provides RF-focused
product development, including intellectual property development, to the
Government and commercial marketplace through hardware and software
design and production, and signal processing algorithm development. Echo
Ridge develops, produces, and sells advanced devices/systems for
Positioning/Navigation/Timing (PNT), Electronic Warfare (EW), and
high-fidelity laboratory modeling, simulation and testing. Echo Ridge
PNT products employ proprietary alternate navigation technology to
provide assured navigation in GPS-unavailable environments. The
company’s management and engineering team members have extensive
experience and expertise in PNT, and have contributed to the development
and commercialization of multiple PNT technologies and systems,
including the industry-leading Geometrix® product line of E911 wireless
caller location systems deployed nationwide by U.S. carriers.
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