Fastrax Announces Software GPS Technology

Finland’s Fastrax oy, which introduced a new generation of OEM GPS receivers earlier this year, has added a software receiver to its line-up.

Based on the Fastrax’s iSuite3 embedded software architecture used in the company’s iTrax03, and iTrax130) series of GPS receivers, the software receiver is designed for easy porting to a portable device’s central processing unit (CPU).

Xsens Offers SW/HW Upgrades for AHRS/GPS Products

Xsens Technologies B.V. has announced the release of a new version of the MT Software Development Kit (SDK) and new firmware for all of the Enschede, The Netherlands¬based company’s inertial motion trackers: MTi, MTi-G and MTx.

The software and firmware contain predefined settings for optimized orientation output in several specific application areas. Applications relying on data output for orientation, stabilization, or navigation will benefit.

Overlook Names New President

Douglas S. Taggart has been named president of Overlook Systems Technologies, Inc., effective June 1, 2008.

A professional engineering and technical services firm headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, Overlook has extensive experience in GPS and Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies, operations ,and applications, as well as electronic warfare, space and information operations, and space control.

SMC's Change of Command

Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel, commander of the Space & Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, will turn over responsibilities to Lt. Gen. John T. "Tom" Sheridan on May 16. General Sheridan was formerly the Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

Boeing Awards Retransmitter Contract to GPS Source

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems has awarded GPS Source, Inc., of Pueblo West, Colorado, a multimillion dollar contract for the development of GPS retransmission equipment for the C-17 Globemaster III.

NovAtel, KVH Partner on GNSS/FOG-IMU Sensor

NovAtel, Inc., and KVH Industries took advantage of the auspicious occasion of the PLANS 2008 conference to launch their separately labeled but common-design versions of a GNSS/fiberoptic gyro (FOG) inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor.

May 16: Deadline Extended for abstracts for NAVITEC 2008 - ESA workshop on satellite navigation user equipment technologies

The European Space Agency has extended until May 16 the deadline for paper abstracts for oral and poster presentations for NAVITEC 2008, ESA's fourth workshop on satellite navigation user equipment technologies.

This year's theme is "GNSS User Technologies in the Sensor Fusion Era." Galileo receiver technologies and experimentation are a special focus of this year's event.

The workshop will take place from December 10-12 at the European Space and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

Applanix Launches POS AV with Integrated Trimble GNSS, Upgraded DSS RapidOrtho

Applanix has announced the availability of a high altitude tactical mapping option for its DSS RapidOrtho system as well as the integration of the Trimble BD960 GNSS receiver module for its POS AV airborne position and orientation system.

With the GNSS module, POS AV products now support GPS L1/L2 and GLONASS L1/L2 processing, both in real-time and post-mission. The BD960 will also be able to receive and process the next-generation GPS L2C and L5 signals.

Hemisphere GPS Reports Record Revenues, Profits in First Quarter

Hemisphere GPS has reported US$25.9 million in revenues for the first quarter of 2008, an increase of 56 percent from the year-earlier period (US$16.7 million) and a record for the company.

The company also reported record first quarter net income of $5.8 million, or $0.11, an increase of 169 percent compared to $2.2 million, or $0.05 per share, in the first quarter of 2007.

Spirent Location Test System Adds W-CDMA, GSM Certification

Spirent Communications plc has announced that the Spirent UMTS Location Test System (ULTS) now supports full certification testing of 3G Partnership Project’s (3GPP) Assisted GPS (A-GPS) RF Minimum Performance test cases for both W-CDMA and GSM devices. With this latest capability, Spirent test equipment can support all A-GPS testing standards including RF performance, signaling conformance, and Secure User Plane (SUPL) Application Enabler, according to the company.