CAGIR

C-Band Assessment for GNSS Architecture Improvement

Aims

Investigation of potential benefits of C Band navigation compared to L Band navigation including also detailed analysis regarding potential future C-Band services and designing first system architectural concepts for a C Band system.

Brief Description

The scope of Global Navigation Satellite Systems is evolving rapidly from a situation where GPS was the only actor, to a situation where several systems are foreseen to be operational in 2020. In this context, it is important for Europe that future evolutions of Galileo take all opportunities to gain competitiveness or complementarities with respect to these systems. Although preliminary Galileo studies (GALA) did not retain the C band for navigation services, evolution of the context and potential new techniques available in the 2020 time frame might prove that C band can be a strategic advantage for Europe.

The current CAGIR project study on the assessment of the Use of C band for GNSS system, will allow to provide answers to both strategic and technical questions. Therefore, the main goals of the study are understood as follows:

• Investigation of the potential benefits of C band with respect to L band
• Identification of potential services based on the use of C band
• Definition of a system architecture (after necessary trade offs), focusing on the elements necessary to assess the interest of C Band
• Identification of critical items, and associated mitigation plans, to demonstrate feasibility and propose next step for potential further C band consolidation activities