Leuven, Belgium – April 12th, 2010 – An AsteRx3 successfully tracked the CDMA L3 signal of the first GLONASS K1 satellite during the weekend of April 10. The AsteRx3 was able to provide a full set of user-level measurements (code, phase, Doppler and C/N0).
The GLONASS Information Analytical Center announced on April 7 that the experimental navigation signals of the first GLONASS K1 satellite would be activated. Shortly after this announcement, Dr Tom Willems, a senior GNSS engineer of the signal tracking expert team at Septentrio, succeeded in acquiring the signal with the AsteRx3 receiver.
The GLONASS K1 satellite was launched on February 26. It carries a payload capable of transmitting a CDMA signal in the L3 band, with a center frequency of 1202.025 MHz, in addition to the standard L1/L2 FDMA signals. It is the first of two GLONASS K1 satellites and the first ever GLONASS satellite capable of transmitting a CDMA ranging signal.
Peter Grognard, CEO of Septentrio, adds: “The fact that the commercially available AsteRx3 is able to track the new GLONASS CDMA signal is a testament to the flexibility and future proofness of the AsteRx receiver platform, which – besides GPS, Galileo and other GLONASS signals – can also track Compass signals. It is striking that the first GLONASS CDMA signal was tracked 50 years after Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space.”
Septentrio released AsteRx3TM, a compact low power high-end multi-frequency GNSS receiver, early 2010. Besides excellent dual-frequency GPS and GLONASS performance, including RTK and PPP, the AsteRx3 has already proven to support future navigation signals such as GPS L5, Galileo E5a/b and has now also demonstrated its capability to track GLONASS L3.
About Septentrio
Septentrio Satellite Navigation NV designs, manufactures, markets and supports high-end OEM GNSS receivers for demanding professional navigation, positioning and timing applications. Septentrio has an international team of experts in all areas of satellite navigation receiver design and applications. For more information about Septentrio, please visit our website at www.septentrio.com.