Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems
National Research Council


The Global Positioning System - A Shared National Asset

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 		v

Preface				vi

List of Figures			xi

List of Tables	  		xii

Acronyms and Abbreviations		xiv

Executive Summary			1

1.  	Introduction 			13
	The Task, 13
		Joint Study Approach, 14
			National Research Council Study Approach, 15
		Major Issues and Considerations, 15
		Report Organization, 16
		GPS Program Overview, 16
		GPS Technical Overview, 17

2. 	GPS Applications and Requirements 	19
		Introduction, 19
		GPS Military Applications, 20
	 		Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 21
			Challenges to Full GPS Utilization, 22

	 		Findings, 26
		GPS Aviation Applications, 26
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 27
			Challenges to Full Utilization of GPS, 30
			Findings, 32
		Maritime Use of GPS, 32
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 33
			Challenges to Full Utilization of GPS, 35
			Findings, 37
		Land Transportation Applications, 38
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 38
			Challenges to Full GPS Utilization, 41
			Findings, 42
		Mapping, Geodesy, and Surveying Applications, 43
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 43
			Challenges to Full GPS Utilization, 45
			Findings, 46
		GPS Earth Science Applications, 46
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 47
			Challenges to Full GPS Utilization, 50				
			Findings, 51
		GPS Timing and Telecommunications Applications, 52
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 52
			Challenges to Full GPS Utilization, 55
			Findings, 56
		Spacecraft Uses of GPS, 56
			Current and Future Applications and Requirements, 57
			Challenges to Full Utilization, 60
			Findings, 61
		Summary, 61

3.	Performance Improvements to the Existing GPS Configuration 	67
		Introduction, 67
		Current GPS Performance, 68
			Accuracy, 68
			Integrity and Availability, 70
		Selective Availability and Anti-Spoofing, 70
			Selective Availability, 71
	Findings and Recommendations, 82
			Anti-Spoofing, 84
			Findings and Recommendations, 85
		Signal Structure Modifications to Reduce Atmospheric Delay Error, 86
			Guidelines and Technical Considerations, 87
			New Signal Structure Options, 88
			Improvements Anticipated from Adding L4, 90
			Reduction of Receiver Noise and Multipath Errors, 91
			Findings and Recommendations, 97
		Performance Improvements to the GPS Operational Control Segment and Satellite Constellation, 98
			Current Status of the Operational Control Segment and Planned Upgrades, 98
			Recommended Upgrades to the Operational Control Segment, 98
			Planned Block IIR Operation, 108
			Suggested Improvements Using the Autonomous Ranging and Crosslink Communication Capability, 109
		Performance Improvements to Enhance the Military Use of GPS, 111
			Recommended Technical Improvements to Military User
			Equipment, 111
	Possible Interim Operational Procedures, 116
		Improvement Implementation Strategy, 117
	
4. 	Technical Enhancements for Future Consideration 	123
		GPS Improvements to Improve Overall Performance, 123
			Use of a 24-Satellite Ensemble Clock, 123
			Reduced Satellite Clock Errors Through Use of Improved Clocks, 124
			Satellite-Based Integrity Monitoring, 125
			Increased L2 Signal Strength, 126
		Military Enhancements, 128
		Block IIF Signal Structure Military Enhancements, 128
			Spot Beams, 132
		Enhancements for High-Precision Users, 133
			GPS Transmit Antenna Calibration, 133
			Knowledge of Spacecraft Characteristics, 134
			Improved L1 Signal Reception at Angles Below the Earth's
			Horizon, 134

Appendix A:		Study Participants 	135

Appendix B:		Abbreviated Committee Biographies 	139

Appendix C:		Overview of the Global Positioning System and Current or Planned Augmentations 	145

Appendix D:		Accuracy Definitions and Mathematical Relationships 	177

Appendix E:		Report From Mr. Michael Dyment, Booz•Allen & Hamilton 	179

Appendix F:		Report From Dr. Young Lee, The MITRE Corporation 	201

Appendix G:		Increased Bandwidth Performance Analysis 	213

Appendix H:		Signal Structure Options 	215

Appendix I:		Report from Mr. Melvin Barmat, Jansky/Barmat Telecommunications, Inc. 	221
Appendix J:		Selective Denial of Civilian GPS Signals by the Military 	249

Appendix K:		Direct Y-Code Acquisition 	253

Appendix L:		Enhanced Signal Structures for the Military 	255

Appendix M:	Accuracy of a 14-Satellite Ensemble Versus a 24-Satellite Ensemble 	263

List of Figures
Figure 1 	Current plan for satellite replacement. (Courtesy of the GPS Joint Program Office)
Figure 3-1 	DGPS coverage provided by commercially available systems, including Skyfix and Sercel. (Courtesy of the National Air Intelligence Center)
Figure 3-2	DGPS coverage provided by the planned FAA WAAS (Wide-Area Augmentation System). Source: Innovative Solutions International, Inc. presentation at the National Technical Meeting of the Institute of Navigation Meeting, Anaheim, CA, January 1995.
Figure 3-3	Position estimates from GPS and GLONASS obtained from measurement snapshots taken 1 minute apart over an entire day. Position from (a) GPS with SA off, (b) GPS with SA on, (c) GLONASS, and (d) GPS + GLONASS. (Courtesy of MIT Lincoln Laboratory)
Figure 3-4 	Horizontal scatter plot of 42 meters CEP (100 meters, 2 drms) with SA at its current level and horizontal scatter plot of approximately 10 meters CEP (24 meters, 2 drms) without SA. (Figure Courtesy of Mr. Jules McNeff, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, C3I)
Figure 3-5	Approximate stand-alone horizontal SPS accuracy, 2 drms, resulting from recommended improvements and enhancements.
Figure 3-6	Current plan for satellite replacement. (Courtesy of the GPS Joint Program Office)
Figure 4-1	Wide-band GPS with a 100-watt jammer.
Figure 4-2	Wide-band GPS with a 10-kilowatt jammer.

List of Tables
Table 2-1 	Military Aviation and Precision-Guided Munitions Applications and Requirements
Table 2-2  	Naval Applications and Requirements
Table 2-3  	Military Land Applications and Requirements
Table 2-4  	GPS Performance Requirements for Aviation Applications
Table 2-5  	Requirements for Maritime Applications
Table 2-6  	Land Transportation Requirements
Table 2-7  	Current and Future GPS Requirements for GIS, Mapping, Surveying, and Geodesy
Table 2-8  	GPS Earth Science Requirements
Table 2-9  	Timing and Telecommunications Requirements
Table 2-10 	Requirements for GPS Spacecraft Applications
Table 2-11 	Summary of Military Applications with Accuracy Requirements Unmet by the GPS PPS as Currently Specified
Table 2-12 	Summary of Civilian Applications with Accuracy Requirements of 100 Meters or Greater (currently achievable with the basic GPS SPS)
Table 2-13 	Summary of Civilian Accuracy Requirements Between 25 and 100 Meters
Table 2-14 	Summary of Civilian Accuracy Requirements Between 10 and 25 Meters
Table 2-15 	Summary of Civilian Accuracy Requirements Between 1 and 10 Meters
Table 2-16 	Summary of Submeter Civilian Accuracy Requirements
Table 3-1  	Observed GPS Positioning Errors with Typical SPS and PPS Receivers
Table 3-2  	SA Errors from DoD/DOT Signal Specification Issues Technical Group
Table 3-3  	The Effect of Eliminating SA on GPS Stand-Alone Horizontal Accuracy
Table 3-4  	Effect of SA Removal on RAIM Availability for Aviation Applications
Table 3-5  	Elimination of Ionospheric Error by the Addition of Another Frequency.
Table 3-6  	Effect of Reduced Ionospheric Error by the Addition of Another Frequency  and Additional Improvements Obtained with Using a More Advanced SPS Receiver
Table 3-7  	Effect of Using a More Advanced PPS Receiver on Stand-Alone Accuracy
Table 3-8  	Effect of SA Removal and Dual-Frequency Capability on RAIM Availability for Aviation Applications
Table 3-9  	Reduction of Combined Clock and Ephemeris Errors
Table 3-10 	Impact of Reduced Clock and Ephemeris Error on SPS Stand-Alone Accuracy
Table 3-11 	Impact of Reduced Clock and Ephemeris Error on PPS Stand-Alone Accuracy
Table 3-12 	Effect of SA Removal, Dual-Frequency Capability and Reduced Clock and Ephemeris Errors on RAIM Availability for Aviation Applications
Table 3-13 	Space Segment Enhancements
Table 3-14 	Operational Control Segment Enhancements
Table 4-1  	GPS Wide-Band Signal Augmentation Performance with a 100-Watt Jammer
Table 4-2  	GPS Wide-Band Signal Augmentation Performance with a 10-Kilowatt Jammer