SBAS signal received in Australia

Thales Australia and Optus Satellite have successfully received a new SBAS signal in Western Australia.

This testing uses a Next Generation Thales SBAS technology developed especially for customers close to the equator with difficult ionospheric conditions, like Australia and New Zealand.

SBAS and PPP (Precise Point Positioning) will deliver an enhanced positioning service for Australia and New Zealand under the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network being undertaken jointly by the two governments.

In order to test and validate key subsystems for the delivery of early services to Australia and New Zealand (should Thales be selected to supply the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network), the transmission received in WA was generated by Thales Alenia Space using the NIGCOMSAT-1R satellite, currently involved in testing of a Next Generation SBAS solution.

“Thales has been supported in its work by specialist expertise from GPSat Systems based in Melbourne, and by Hexagon | NovAtel, a world leading GNSS receiver manufacturer," Thales Australia Director Space Matt Dawson said. “NovAtel engineers that have also been monitoring this new broadcast, reported sufficient data to track PRN 147 signals and use them for SBAS corrections.”

“The current broadcast comes via the NIGCOMSAT-1R satellite, that is positioned to serve Africa, so Western Australia is on the very edge of its coverage area," Thales Alenia Space VP Navigation Benoit Broudy said. "We are offering two new satellite payloads aboard Optus satellites to provide services across Australia and New Zealand, which could be extended into the Pacific Island regions.”