The company said it made the breakthrough, which it believes could aid “moon landings and Earth missions”, by combining its inertial navigation system with a laser velocity sensor (LVS), which it calls a “new class of navigation”.
Advanced Navigation is best known for developing technology that makes it safer and easier for lunar landers to touch down on the moon’s surface.
“GPS is disturbingly vulnerable to challenging environments, harsh weather conditions and cyber attacks with rising threats of jamming and spoofing,” Advanced Navigation said. “The question isn’t if GPS will fail, but when. Operators need to build resilience now.”
Inertial navigation systems use motion and rotation sensors, such as gyroscopes, to deduce a spacecraft’s position, and are designed to operate when traditional satellite navigation systems fail.
Advanced Navigation said the LVS, meanwhile, uses “infrared lasers to measure a vehicle’s ground-relative 3D velocity with exceptional accuracy and long-term stability”.
“Unlike conventional sensors, LVS performs reliably on both ground and airborne platforms, as long as it maintains a clear line of sight to the ground or a stationary surface,” the firm added.
“Beyond its role as a velocity aid, LVS also enhances navigation resilience by detecting GNSS spoofing. By comparing its independent velocity measurements against GNSS-derived velocity, LVS adds an extra layer of security to assured positioning, navigation, and timing strategies.”
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It comes after Space Connect reported in February how Advanced Navigation would collaborate with Gilmour to create a new navigation system capable of withstanding the massive shocks and vibrations encountered in space.
The new technology will initially be tested via simulations but could ultimately be used to support Gilmour’s Eris rockets and Elara satellite platforms in low-Earth orbit.
The funding that will enable the collaboration has come through the Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grants program, which is part of the wider Moon to Mars initiative that aims to invest $150 million over five years to grow Australia’s space sector.
Separately, in September last year, Advanced Navigation revealed it would work with Korean defence giant Hanwha on an inertial navigation system that can be fitted onto aircraft or vehicles operating in war zones.
“By integrating Advanced Navigation’s IP in digital fibre-optic gyroscope technologies with Hanwha’s robust aerospace and defence capabilities, the agreement will look to augment Australia’s manufacturing and supply chain resilience to meet the demand of global military supply chains,” the Australian company said.
As part of the deal, Hanwha Defence Australia’s factory in Melbourne will provide facilities supporting the production and sustainment of tracked armoured vehicles, including multiple assembly lines, a 1,200-metre test track, a deep-water test facility, an obstacle course and a research and development centre.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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