Spirent is an official supplier of RF Constellation Simulators (RFCS) to the Galileo programme. The RFCS are being used for testing the ground monitoring stations and user receivers.

The Galileo positioning system is a satellite navigation system that is currently under development by the European Union (EU) as an alternative to the U.S Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian GLONASS system. A Galileo constellation simulator generates the RF signal that would be seen at the antenna of the Galileo receiver under test. The signal is an accurate composite of the signals from the Galileo satellites including all the effects of movement and signal degradation which would be seen in operational duty. Doppler effects due to satellite and receiver motion, propagation effects such as those due to obscuration, reflection and atmospheric refraction are all accurately modelled.

Galileo constellation simulators allow controlled, repeatable testing in the lab. Whether exploring the design envelope for vehicle dynamics, testing for off-design “what-if” scenarios or accurately comparing receivers, constellation simulators have proved an invaluable tool for GPS and GLONASS receiver developers. For Galileo developers they move from invaluable to indispensable as they are, for now at least, the only source of Galileo constellation signals available.

SPIRENT, PREFERRED SUPPLIER TO THE GALILEO PROJECT

Spirent is pleased to have been selected by Alacatel Alenia Space and Thales, the organisations overseeing the Ground Mission Segment (GMS) and Test User Segment (TUS) elements of the project respectively, to provide Galileo receiver test systems into the Galileo project. The GMS stations control the satellite constellation and the TUS forms the basis for future Galileo user receivers that will be used in a wide variety of application areas on sea, air and land.

Spirent’s Galileo receiver test systems have been used to test the performance of the receivers used in the GMS and the user-receivers which form critical elements of Galileo system development. This approach truly marks the coming-of-age of the RF constellation simulator as the reference test tool for GNSS technology and applications development. Simulators are now as indispensible in GNSS development as the Spectrum Analyser is in RF and wireless development.

GALILEO TESTING

• The GSS8000 The GSS8000 Multi-GNSS Constellation Simulator provides GPS/SBAS, GLONASS and Galileo signals. GPS configurations can also support QZSS and SBAS. Classified signals and various options are also available.
• The GSS6700 The GSS6700 Multi-GNSS Simulation System offers multiple channels of GPS/SBAS, GLONASS and/or Galileo L1 signals.
• The GSS6300 Multi-GNSS Signal Generator provides a single channel of GPS/SBAS, GLONASS and/or Galileo L1 signals for production testing of commercial GNSS receivers.