SoN3S has the ambitious aim to perform the technical and economic feasibility study of a new Software Defined Satellite Navigation Security Simulator that meets the new requirements (security, flexibility, frequent upgrade, lower cost) emerged from the market evolution, initially targeting satellite navigation security and then extending the same approach to other space assets. The global core market of satellite navigation is more than 100 billion euros, representing an extremely promising opportunity for the exploitation of this new requirements not yet satisfied by competing products. Current satellite navigation simulators rely on costly hardware for real time generation and transmission of the signal, mainly due computational power advantages. This however drastically increases costs and complexity of the product, reduces flexibility and upgradability as well as forces costly sales and distribution strategies. Technically, the project has the ambition to tackle the issues of producing a real time fully software simulator exploiting the computational power available in standard PCs and combined with only an low cost USB hardware (from less than € 100, for the up-conversion of the signal). Economically, the study will tackle new software oriented sales paradigm and marketing strategies with respect to the standard distribution chain in hardware simulators. This is particularly important for the security features, that will be provided with monthly updates and it is expected to follow a similar approach to daily desktop software. Software as a Service paradigm will also be investigated from the technical (bandwidth issues) and commercial point of view. The combination of the technical and economic feasibility study will pose the basis to create e dramatic innovation in the simulation markets.

The objective of this project is to provide a basis upon which Galileo can be relied upon to the same extent that GPS is currently, especially by the Aviation user community and then beyond. It is proposed that DWI’s existing GNSS Performance Monitoring System (GPMS) is enhanced to include EGNSS and this platform can latterly include other constellations and augmentations for use beyond Europe. The project shall gather EGNSS signal data for analysis and comparison thereby providing the aviation community the confidence they need for including EGNSS within their planning for navigation. It will monitor new signals alongside the GPS signals and provide operationally relevant information to existing and new users of the GPMS. In addition, the system will be updated to include the capability for the monitoring of interference and spoofing.

The use of GNSS in space applications enables the main following applications: (a) navigation in space, (b) timing determination (c) precise orbit determination (d) attitude determination. Most of future space missions (LEO, MEO, GEO/IGSO orbits, interplanetary missions and launchers) are considering to adopt GNSS as baseline requirements for orbit determination or vehicle position and time estimation in space. In parallel, cost/size reduction, flexibility and the need to increase security are key requirements to sustain the evolution of the satellite business towards mega constellations and small satellites. ENSPACE (Enhanced Navigation in Space) captures this needs developing an innovative software application for enhanced space navigation, positioning and time. The aim is to: (a) become a reference product for low cost, secure and flexible space navigation, positioning and time, and (b) enable existing high grade space applications to enhance GNSS security. ENSPACE has the advantage to be multi application and multi mission, low cost, secure and robust, fully Software. The use of Galileo, and particularly the features of authentication, guarantees highly accurate positioning and robust navigation, not feasible so far with current GNSS. ENSPACE will be the future concept of space navigation and will test all possibilities of Galileo beyond the limits of the original service design.