WORLD-WIDE CNS/ATM SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION CONFERENCE

Rio de Janeiro, 11-15 May 1998

Introductory Presentations

11 May 1998

SIGNAL PROVIDERS

European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS)

Presentation by Tony Goldman on behalf of the

European GNSS Tripartite Group

Mr. President, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today on behalf of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and may I thank the President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation for giving me this opportunity to address such a wide and distinguished audience on the theme of Global Navigation Satellite Systems. I am also appearing on behalf of the European Tripartite Group which is developing the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System, known as EGNOS.

Sharing the platform with colleagues from the US, Russia and Japan symbolises the world-wide cooperation that is essential for the development of an integrated global ATM system based on satellite technology. Stimulating this co-operation, ICAO is a crucial focal point for the coordination of the development and implementation of GNSS, which requires planning at the global, regional and national levels.

We must particularly recognise the contribution of the United States and the Russian Federation: the existence of GPS and GLONASS and the provision of signals free of direct user charges, has undoubtedly given a kick-start towards the development of GNSS for civil aviation.

At this point, let us focus on what we are all aiming to achieve. I can do no better than to quote the ICAO Strategic Vision for CNS/ATM:

"To foster implementation of a seamless, global air traffic management system that will enable aircraft operators to meet their planned times of departure and arrival and adhere to their preferred flight profiles with minimum constraints and without compromising agreed safety levels".

Well, what are the signal providers doing to help achieve this strategic vision? And, in particular, what is Europe contributing?

First some background -----

History of EGNOS project

European cooperation in this area was born with the formation of the European Tripartite Group in 1994 comprising the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA) and EUROCONTROL. From this collaboration, EGNOS was born.

The three organisations making up the Tripartite Group each bring particular strengths to the table. The European Commission, acting on behalf of the 15 States of the European Union, is responsible for institutional and policy matters, including international co-ordination. It issued a European Strategy and Action Plan for GNSS in January of this year which examines a wide range of issues relating to EGNOS including political, economical, industrial and technical considerations. ESA is managing the technical development of EGNOS and will operate the system during the implementation phase. It is carrying out this work under its Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme known as ARTES, in particular element 9. This programme covers the first generation of systems, of which EGNOS is part, which Europe calls GNSS 1 and the next generation of civil satellite systems, GNSS 2. ESA placed a contract with Thompson - CSF (as it then was) for the initial phase of the project. It is currently evaluating a proposal from the AirSys-led consortium with the objective of placing a contract for the industrial development of EGNOS in October of this year. Eurocontrol, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, which now has 27 member States, is defining the user requirements for civil aviation and is responsible for the operational test and validation of the system against these user requirements. Eurocotrol is also supporting the safety regulation and certification activities in Europe.

EGNOS is being funded primarily by participating ESA States (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom) and Canada is also involved in the project. The estimated project cost is some US$ 240 million and includes contributions from air traffic service providers. The European Commission is providing funding for, among other things, the transponders on board the geo-stationary satellites via its Trans European Network and Research budgets.

Description of EGNOS

EGNOS will provide Europe with an augmentation of GPS and GLONASS to bring the system up to the standards of accuracy, reliability and availability needed for aviation. It will use transponders on the Inmarsat III AOR(E), IOR and Artemis geostationary satellites to enhance the navigation function provided by GPS and GLONASS. Two stages are envisaged: "Advanced Operational Capability, planned for 2002. This has the potential of giving "sole means" performance down to non-precision approach, and "primary means" service down to CAT 1 precision approach. "Final Operational Capability" will give "sole means" service during the CAT 1 precision approach. That is planned for 2005.

The augmentation of GPS/GLONASS will be provided through three main functions. First, geo-ranging, enhancing availability through additional GPS-like signals from the geo-stationary satellites; second integrity, through a dedicated ground network which monitors all the satellites used. And thirdly, wide-area differential corrections to improve accuracy.

Importance of interoperability of EGNOS with other systems

EGNOS will provide the same capability as the systems being developed by the United States and Japan - the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and the Multi-transport Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) respectively. It is clearly essential that these systems are fully compatible so that navigation appears seamless to the user. This compatibility is being secured through Europe's participation in the so-called Inter-operability Working Group.

Institutional aspects

As we know from our experience in Europe, the institutional issues can be just as difficult as the technical ones. This is especially true with GNSS which raises new institutional issues, not only because of its international scope, but also because of its potential applications not only for aviation but for other transport modes and beyond to such fields as agriculture and surveying. It is this unique complexity which presents us with the special challenges that this Conference is addressing. How will the cost of providing these navigational services be shared among all the potential users? This question may not be of great significance for the first generation of GNSS systems where much of the cost is being absorbed by industry and by the public authorities; but it is a vital issue for the next generation, where the systems will almost certainly be developed and provided on a commercial basis. I am glad to see that this aspect is a major theme for this Conference.

While we are on the next generation, Mr. President, I want to emphasize Europe's seriousness in relation to a civil-controlled GNSS II. We want to do this in co-operation with other regions, and we are currently taking steps in this direction with a view to taking decisions on this vital matter in early 1999.

Mr. President, Europe is proud to be able to make its contribution to this exciting world-wide project to free ourselves from the constraints of terrestrial navigational aids. Together with similar developments in surveillance and communications, we shall, with any luck, manage to keep pace with the ever- increasing demands that the expanding aviation industry is throwing at us. That, at any rate is the great challenge before us.

- END -

[A J GOLDMAN]