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Globalstar and Echo Ridge Offer to Demonstrate GPS Backup Technology to Department of TransportationGlobalstar (News - Alert), Inc. of Covington, LA (NYSE American: GSAT) and Echo Ridge, LLC of Sterling, VA have informed the U.S. Department of Transportation that the companies have developed and are prepared to participate in and support a live field demonstration of a stand-alone positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability that can provide accurate and reliable PNT services to backup and/or complement GPS in case of GPS unavailability or unreliability. The companies responded on June 3 to a DOT announcement and request for information regarding DOT's plans to conduct a field demonstration of technologies capable of providing backup and/or complementary PNT in the event of a temporary disruption to GPS. Globalstar and Echo Ridge informed the DOT that all required elements are available now for demonstration of a backup system that provides diversity of frequency, constellation, and signal to the existing GPS system, as well as independent ground and management infrastructure. The Globalstar-Echo Ridge system is based on new Augmented Positioning System (APS) technology that uses ordinary signals from communications satellites (not special positioning/navigation signals, such as GPS) to produce accurate position and timing information in compatible user devices. No new infrastructure is needed; Globalstar's constellation of 24 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites and Echo Ridge software and compatible devices at the user end provide the building blocks for the APS-based system. APS technology has been successfully demonstrated in diverse environments and incorporates multiple features that boost availability and reliability to produce accurate PNT information under crcumstances that can challenge or disable GPS/GNSS technology. The technology can work independently of GPS and other global navigation satellite systems and is designed to maintain high performance in a wide range of operating environments. The proposed system responds to increasing user concerns about GPS vulnerability and the critical importance of accurate PNT information to support essential services and infrastructure. "The Department of Transportation, coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense, has recognized the need to ensure that reliable PNT information remains available to support U.S. critical infrastructure, even in case of GPS interruption," said Joe Kennedy, President of Echo Ridge. "Globalstar and Echo Ridge are pleased to be able to offer to DOT a demonstration of our unique, independent assured PNT technology that can provide a dependable backup and/or complement to GPS."
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About Echo Ridge View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190613005429/en/ |