The contribution without GPS: Aerospace and space center develops a new navigation system from Felix Baumann first appeared on Basic Thinking. You always stay up to date with our newsletter.
The German Air and Space Center has developed a system called Ranging Mode (R-Mode), which enables navigation without GPS. Due to increasing risks, ships with radio waves are to be navigated instead of satellites.
Modern ship and aviation is strongly dependent on satellite navigation systems such as GPS or Galileo. But what happens if these systems fail or are disturbed? Especially in the Baltic Sea, signal disorders are becoming increasingly common, which make navigation difficult or even dangerous.
The R-Mode navigation system is a solution to this problem. This is a terrestrial alternative that works regardless of satellites. R-fashion stands for ranging fashion and uses existing radio stations in the medium wave (MW) and ultra-short wave area (FM).
R-Mode: Safe navigation without GPS
The radio stations send out signals that recipients collect on the ships. By measuring the signal times, an algorithm can precisely determine the position of the ship. This makes navigation without GPS possible without any problems.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Developed the system Together with EU partners from science, industry and authorities. A test field between Helgoland and Stockholm has been built since 2017, which now includes eight broadcasts.
The background: more and more evil actors are increasingly disturbing GPS signals-be it through cyber attacks or political tensions. Especially in the Baltic Sea, where many shipping routes cross, navigation -related accidents are a great danger. Navigation without GPS therefore seems essential to ensure security at sea.
Another advantage of R-mode: The system uses existing radio infrastructures. This represents an inexpensive solution to make maritime navigation safer and offer a reliable alternative.
Expansion of navigation without satellites
The R-Mode network has been expanded as part of the Ormobass project since 2023. The test field now extends to Sweden, Finland and Estonia-and thus countries in which GPS disorders occur particularly frequently.
Standardization is necessary to make the system usable across the board. The DLR works with the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) to establish uniform R-fashion signals worldwide. From 2026, standardized ranging modes should be available in the Baltic Sea area so that navigation works reliably without satellites.
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The contribution without GPS: Aerospace and space center develops a new navigation system from Felix Baumann first appeared on Basic Thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard.
As a Tech Industry expert, I find the development of a new navigation system by an aerospace center to be a significant and exciting advancement. While GPS has revolutionized navigation and location tracking, there are limitations to its coverage and accuracy, especially in areas with poor satellite reception or where signals can be easily disrupted.
By developing a new navigation system that does not rely on GPS, the aerospace center is addressing these limitations and potentially opening up new possibilities for navigation in challenging environments such as underground, underwater, or in space. This could have far-reaching implications for industries such as aviation, marine, and defense, where precise and reliable navigation is crucial for safety and efficiency.
I am eager to learn more about the technology behind this new navigation system and its potential applications. It will be interesting to see how it compares to GPS in terms of accuracy, reliability, and cost, and whether it can complement or even replace existing navigation technologies in certain scenarios. Overall, this development represents an important step forward in the field of navigation technology and has the potential to shape the future of how we navigate our world.
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