International
Committee on GNSS

Recent Developments

Committee on thePeaceful Uses of Outer Space
Some of the key themes:
Space Debris

Long-term
Sustainability

Small satellites /Constellations

Space Traffic
Management

Space Resources

GNSS

Space weather

Near-Earth Objects

Global health

Meetings:❑ Scientific and Technical Subcommittee➢ ISWI Steering Committee, ICG WG meetings❑ Legal Subcommittee❑ Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space➢

ICG Providers’ Forum Meeting

Exec. Secretariat to Int’l Committee on GNSS
Key responsibilities:
Executive Secretariat
Int’l Committee on GNSS (ICG) (37)•

Est. 2005 - meets annually•

Voluntary cooperation, coordination,
promoting utilization of multiple GNSS
signals

4 Working Groups•

Systems, Signals, Services; Enhancement of
GNSS Performance, New Services andCapabilities; Information & Capacitybuilding; Reference Frames, Timing andApplications

Provider’s Forum•

Compatibility & interoperability

Capacity Development

GNSS•

Workshops: annually•

Education Curriculum

Space Weather•

Workshops: annually

International Committee on GNSSThe ICG is an important vehicle in the multi-lateral arena, as satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing
becomes more and more a genuine multinational cooperative venture.
❑ Encourages coordination among GNSS providers❑ Promotes the introduction and utilization of GNSS services indeveloping countries❑ Assists GNSS users with their development plans and applications❑ Assure GNSS interoperability and compatibility among providers

and users globally for enhanced services and applications

Open to all countries and entities that are either GNSS providers orusers of GNSS services, and are interested and willing to actively beengaged in ICG work

Exec. Secretariat to Int’l Committee on GNSS
ICG Membership
System Providers: Global and Regional
Constellations
China (BDS, 27+3IGSO+5GEO), Russian Federation(GLONASS, 24+), United States (GPS, 24+), European Union(Galileo, 24+), India (NavIC, 7), Japan (QZSS, 7)

Services and Applications (15)Algeria, Australia, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic ofKorea, Türkiye and United Arab Emirates

Augmentation Systems
India, Japan, Nigeria, Russian Federation, United States andEuropean Space Agency

Assoc. Members + Observers: IGO, NGO, UN
entities (22)5

17th meeting of ICG

Hosted by theEuropean Unionin collaboration with the
Spanish Presidency of the EU
15 – 20 October 2023, MadridICG: Working Groups❑ Systems, Signals and Services (United States & Russian Federation): Compatibility andspectrum protection; interoperability and service standards; system-of-system operations❑ Enhancement of GNSS Performance, New Services and Capabilities (India, China & ESA):
Future & novel integrity solutions; implementation of interoperable GNSS Space Service
Volume (SSV) examination of performance of atmospheric models, establish dialogue withspace weather/RS communities and its evolution;❑ Information Dissemination and Capacity Building (UNOOSA): Focused on education andtraining programmes, promoting GNSS for scientific exploration (incl., space weather and its
effects on GNSS)❑ Reference Frames, Timing and Applications (IAG, IGS & FIG): Focused on monitoring andreference station networks

ICG: Working Group S Recommendations
Survey into GNSS Time Offset for Receiver Manufacturers
To implement a dialogue with multi-GNSS receiver manufacturers it’s necessary to conduct asurvey on time offset accuracy requirements for multi-GNSS receivers. However, it is difficult toengage a lot of manufacturers globally to attend a workshop on timing interoperability becauseof complicated logistics and schedule as well as cost. Therefore, it’s suggested that GNSS
providers carry out a survey domestically in a large scale and submit a report to the ICG based on
survey results, to push forward the improvement of GNSS time interoperability.
❑ GNSS providers are encouraged to reach out to domestic receiver manufacturers (industry) to
get feedback on multi-GNSS time interoperability requirements through a common list ofquestions and criteria developed by WG.
❑ Timing experts, in coordination with WGs B and D should organize a meeting/workshop to
discuss the results of the receiver manufacturers’ feedback.

❑ Investigation of national processes for notification of interference testingICG: Working Group S Recommendations
Approval of the Int. GNSS Monitoring and Assessment (IGMA) Joint Trial Project ToR❑ IGMA Joint Trial Project with IGS (proposed 2015)❑ IGMA TF and IGS initiate a joint trial project: to demonstrate a global GNSS Monitoringand Assessment capability❑ IGMA TF focusing on establishing harmonized, common calculation methodologies
regarding selected 4 system level parameters: orbit and clock error, signal-in-space
ranging error, Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) and UTC Offset Error and adopted a
post-processing approach❑ Technical details in the ToR are to be updated as the calculation methodologies
discussion proceeded plus some inconsistencies in ToR❑ ICG adopt new revisions to the ToR for the IGMA Joint Trial Project (Aug 2023). If IGS would
have comments on the ToR revision, they should be notified to the ICG. In case no substantialchanges are proposed to it, the adoption at ICG-17 by ICG would be effective.

ICG: Working Group S Recommendations
Incorporation of Emerging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) PNT Providers into ICG
The plans for LEO PNT systems need to be better understood. The Workshop organized by WG-S
in June 2023 attempted to gather information about the systems, but it has become apparent thatfurther engagement and coordination is needed to ensure compatibility and interoperability withthe existing GNSS providers.

❑ ICG members should consider inviting domestic LEO PNT system providers (governmental
and non-government) to participate in the ICG activities and its relevant WG meetings. Thisparticipation could be in various forms, including requesting ICG Observer Status ifinterested.

ICG: Working Group B Recommendation
Joint ICG - Interagency Operations Advisory Group (IOAG) organization of multilateralworkshop on cislunar PNT
To maximize interoperability, compatibility and availability of lunar PNT signals, a multilateralcommunication of cislunar PNT plans and developments—early and often—is needed.
❑ The ICG encourages the organization of a joint ICG-IOAG multilateral cislunar PNT workshopthat shall:❑ serve as a mechanism to better understand the scope and depth of lunar PNT systems
being developed❑ propose recommendations that may be taken up by lunar PNT developers, and❑ facilitate refinement of interoperable, compatible, and available lunar PNT systems of the
future.
❑ The workshop co-leaders ICG/IOAG shall also seek the collaboration of other international
bodies such as the ISECG, CCSDS, and SFCG to strengthen the international coordination andstandardization of lunar PNT systems.
❑ This recommendation represents a specific action from the more general recommendation
approved at ICG-16 (ICG/REC/2022) entitled “Coordination of GNSS and Lunar PNT systems forlunar operations.”ICG: Working Group B Recommendation

ICG-16: Coordination of GNSS and Lunar PNT systems for lunar operations❑ The ICG encourages international GNSS providers and lunar PNT developers to work together
via the appropriate multilateral fora, such as IOAG, to ensure the future attainment of aninteroperable, compatible, and available PNT system of systems that can support the world’s
ever-expanding human and robotic space operations around and on the surface of the moon.
❑ The collaborative efforts of ICG, including the GNSS Space Service Volume initiative, should
serve as a model for this promising international exploration initiative.
❑ ICG will analyze planned lunar PNT systems and their interactions with GNSS and propose
recommendations that may be taken up by GNSS providers and lunar PNT developers

Enhancement of GNSS Performance, New
Services and Capabilities (WG B)
Encourages GNSS providers and lunar PNT developers to work
together in order to❑ Ensure the future attainment of an interoperable, compatible andavailable PNT system of systems that can support the worlds everexpanding human and robotic space operations around and on thesurface of the moon

❑ ICG will analyse planned lunar PNT systems and their interactions

with GNSS and propose recommendations that may be taken up by
GNSS providers and lunar PNT developers

The collaborative efforts of ICG, including the GNSS SSV initiative, serves
as a model for this international exploration initiative

https://www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2021/stspace/stspace75rev_1_0_html/st_space_75rev01E.pdf

ICG: Working Group D Recommendations
On the use of the broadcast prediction of UTC to determine the offsets between GNSS times
for non-space-based users (Joint WGs B, S & D)
❑ In the case a common pivot method is chosen to provide the user with GNSS inter-systemtime biases, multi-GNSS receiver manufacturers consider the benefit of using the common
pivot bUTCGNSS contained in the GNSS navigation message.
❑ This approach comes in addition to the two other existing methods (estimation at userlevel or use of broadcast GNSS-to-GNSS time offset).
❑ For mass-market non-space-based users, this eliminates the need to create an ad hoc timescale as a common pivot.

❑ GNSS providers continue their efforts to improve the prediction of UTC broadcast in thenavigation message with the help of time laboratories, with the aim to improve their time
dissemination service.
Continuous effort in monitoring and validating all GNSS-to-GNSS time offset is to be pursued also
promoting the collaboration among the different involved groups. The needs of space users maylead to different conclusions that may require revisiting this recommendation.

ICG: Working Group D Recommendations
Development of GNSS-based techniques for applications related to disaster risk reduction
and natural hazards monitoring❑ The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) TF should❑ demonstrate the deployment of a multi- GNSS station in an area of sparse coverage;❑ define a step-by-step guide for future such deployments, including critical details such as(but not limited to) the administrative and technical requirements, the cost and timing
estimates, and the potential sources of funding to which one could apply.
❑ ICG should encourage the development of open-source, freely available, and readily- andeasily-usable software. In addition, ICG should encourage the publication of open-access,real-time, high-rate, accurate, and precise multi-GNSS data and products.
❑ The science community should pursue the development of data assimilation, data fusion forvarious types of datasets, and crowd-sourcing GNSS data to their full, synergistic potential

The DRR TF has explored the GNSS-based techniques and their potential and current applications
to DRR. Over the past year, the TF collected diverse worldwide expertise from Australia, Chile,
China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, and the United States.

GNSS Applications
The Applications of GNSS for Disaster Risk Reduction (WG D/WG B)

GNSS satellite❑ Natural hazards generate atmospheric waves.

ionosphere❑ These waves propagate through the atmosphere (up to the ionosphere),and cause perturbations along the way.

atmosphericwaves❑ These perturbations can be detected using various GNSS-based remotesensing techniques, at next-to-no cost, in near-real-time, and with aworldwide coverage.

GNSS Reflectometry

GNSS Polarimetric RO

GNSS-Based Ionospheric TEC

relevant tosurface conditions(soil moisture)earthquakes

surface to mid-stratosphere(temperature + moisture)surface to mid-stratosphere(temp. + moist. + heavy precipitation)
ionosphere (100-1500 km)(Total Electron Content - TEC)

stormsfloodstsunamis
wildfiresvolcanic eruptions
solar storms
CMEs

Objective: use GNSS to augment monitoring capabilities and early warning systems
for natural hazards.

1

1

0

0

-1

140°E

change in VTEC [TECU]GNSS Radio Occultation (RO)probing region

tsunamiFigure: schematic of tsunamiinduced atmospheric waves andground-based GNSS
measurements.

sea surface height [m]technique

GNSS receiver-1

Figure: Ionospheric TEC and sea
surface height map for the 2011
Tōhoku-Oki event (Galvan et al.,jpl.nasa.gov
2012).

ICG: Information Dissemination & Capacity Building❑ Regional Workshops: To provide updated knowledge of how GNSS operate and theirapplications; to describe the science of SW; and how to perform ionospheric and SW research with
GNSS data❑ Workshop on ISWI, 26 – 30 June 2023, Vienna❑ Germany (10 – 14 June, 2024, Neustrelitz),❑ Nigeria (2025) and Republic of Korea (2026)❑ Workshop on the applications of GNSS, 23 – 26 October 2023, Finland❑ Philippines (22- 26 April, 2024, Manila ), Spain (November, 2024, Malaga),❑ Seminar on GNSS Spectrum Protection and Interference Detection and Mitigation (WG S)❑ to highlight the importance of GNSS spectrum protection at the national level and to
explain how to reap the benefits of GNSSICG: Information Dissemination & Capacity Building❑ Cooperation ICG & The University of Tokyo, Japan: To focus on GNSS data types, GNSS errors,
coordinate systems and applications, and low-cost receiver system data
❑ GNSS Training Programme, Nepal (The University of Tokyo), 12 – 16 January 2024
❑ Cooperation ICG, ICTP, Italy and Boston College, US: To enhance capacity building on GNSS forSpace Weather monitoring❑ GNSS and Space Weather, Italy, 22 – 31 October 2024
❑ Cooperation ICG, FIG, IAG and IGS: To focus on reference frames in general with a specific focus
on UN initiatives, global and regional frames as well selected national case studies❑ Technical Seminar on Reference Frames in Practice, Accra, Ghana, 18 – 19 May 2024

Space weather monitoring using lowcost receiver system❑ Exploring low-cost GNSS receivers thatsatisfies space weather needs both interms of scintillation and total electron
contente.g., U-Blox F9P
GNSS
Frequency Bands➢

any receiver that is capable tooutput raw data

Raw Data➢

dual frequency receiver

Navigation Frame Data➢

cost (less than $1000, including
antenna and data logging system)❑ N.B.: No preferences of whatsoever on

any brand/name. The examples are
based on the selection criteria.

Output Ratee.g. Septentrio MOSAIC

GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS, SBAS
L1, L2, E5b

L1, L2, L5
Code Phase, Carrier Phase, Doppler,Signal quality related data
Yes, including data bits

Max 20Hz

Up to 100 Hz for
Measurement
50Hz for RTK

RTK / PPP CapableYes

TEC ComputationYes

S4 Computation(is being currently studied)

Price ($)

300

700

Space weather monitoring using lowcost receiver system❑ Exploring software that could be used to process data from low-cost GNSS receivers in order to compute

TEC, scintillation and other space weather related parameters➢

NeQuick (free download https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.531-14-201908-I/en)❑ United Nations Workshop on ISWI, June 2023, Vienna➢ (ICTP) Performance in estimating TEC is comparable to those of geodetic/scientific grade receivers
and can therefore be used to monitor the ionosphere➢ (The University of Tokyo) Data formats and processing algorithms shall be standardized for uniform
results➢ (Boston College) Space weather monitoring implies TEC and scintillation (both phase and intensity),
and the preliminary results are promising. Full analysis of performance including tracking and othercharacteristics are in progress
https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/schedule/2023/2023-iswi-workshop_presentations.html❑ The preliminary results of a comparison between high-end and low-cost GNSS receivers

showed a good correlation with regard to VTEC, the rate of change of TEC index and code
phase scintillation

Space weather monitoring using lowcost receiver system
Comparison of VTEC Results(C1C-C2X)(C1C-C2W)(C1C-C2W)(C1C-C2X)

UTC+9➢ The low-cost receiver VTEC values have similar results to the high-end receiver VTEC values.
➢ MOSAIC receiver VTEC values are equivalent to PolaRx5 receiver VTEC values.

Space weather monitoring using lowcost receiver system
High-EndGNSS Receivers

GNSS Antenna

8
7
6
5

4
3

2
1

NET-R9PolaRx-5
RX A
RX B
F9P
MOSAICc

Log raw
GNSS data

Fleury

TEC, ROTI

K-TEC

TEC, ROTI

SW-A

TEC, ROTI

SW-B

TEC, ROTI

RX C
RX D

Low-Cost GNSS
Receiver➢ Test more receiver/ antenna types➢ Compute using different softwareICG: Information Centres
The United Nations Programme of Space Applications established regional centres (also acting as the
ICG information centres) in each region covered by the United Nations Economic Commissions:
Africa (1998), Asia and the Pacific (1995/2014), Latin America and the Caribbean (2003), and Western
Asia (2012)➢ Satellite meteorology andglobal climate➢ Satellite Communications➢ Space and Atmospheric
Science➢ RS & GIS➢ GNSS (2013)➢ Space Law (2014)

China (RCSSTEAP)
Jordan (RJGC)
Morocco (CRASTE-LF)

Mexico (CRECTEALC)

India (CSSTEAP)

Nigeria (ARCESSTE-E)

Brazil (CRECTEALC)

ICG: Information Portal

In 2022, humanity crossed a symbolic milestone as theworld’s population reached 8 billion. Science has beenamong the main drivers of this growth, gradually
increasing the human lifespan thanks to advances in publichealth, water, sanitation and hygiene, and nutrition, among
many others. There are 8 billion stories, minds, bright ideas
and new perspectives, all waiting to leave their mark in
improving life on our cosmic spaceship – planet Earth(UNOOSA-EUSPA).
WWW.UNOOSA.ORG
WWW.UNOOSA.ORG/OOSA/EN/OURWORK/ICG/ICG.HTMLhttps://www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2023/stsp
ace/stspace85_0_html/st_space_085E.pdf

The activities and opportunities provided through the ICG result in the development and growth of capacities
that will enable each country to enhance its knowledge, understanding and practical experience in those
aspects of GNSS technology that have the potential for a greater impact on its economic and social
development, including the preservation of its environmentICG-18Date:

6 – 11 October 2024

Location: Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington
Aotearoa New Zealand
Venue:Tākina Wellington Convention Centre

Thank you