Galileo timing applications and ACTS prototyping

Abstract

Harrison Project is a project dealing with Time and Synchronization Applications started in the framework of the GSA (GNSS Supervisor Authority) a European Union body. Aim of the project is to study the advantages in Time and Synchronization applications offered by Galileo System. The project is basically arranged in 3 major phases: the User Community Analysis, the development of a solution demonstrator, the field trials of the demonstrator. The user community consists of partners belonging to several application domains such as: Scientific Applications on Timing and Astronomy and Quantum Cryptography, Banking, Railways, Energy and Power, Mobile communications, Network Security, Satellite Service Providers. The user community is represented by both Industrial Partners and /or Public bodies like University and Research Institutes. The user community analysis includes also a market analysis performed by a specialized company to identify business opportunity in timing applications for the forthcoming Galileo constellation. Purpose of this project phase is to analyze the Time and Synchronization applications for each domain and study the advantages offered by the availability of a common precise time reference recovered by the Galileo SIS. Moreover this activity is also stimuli for the development of new ideas. The proposed demonstrator is called Authenticated and Certified Time Solution (ACTS) and is aimed to study the feasibility of using the time distributed by the Galileo System Authenticated and Certified through the Galileo System and added value services. The legal aspects are also considered and a dedicated Analysis is performed considering the European Community laws and the acts in the major EU countries. The time distributed through the Galileo Satellite System (and GNSS in general) is very attractive for all those applications that need an high level of synchronization over a wide geographical area; the benefit is that a synchronization network with nodes and sub network is no longer necessary since all the nodes can directly access to the main synchronization SIS. A demonstrator system (it obviously uses GPS and EGNOS) has been realized and tested on few domains: Astronomy, Quantum Cryptography, Energy and Power, Satellite Service Providers. The performances and functionalities have fulfilled the demonstrator target and evinced few lacks to fill. Overall the Authenticated and Certified Time Solution (ACTS) Demonstrator has shown its potentials and reliability (although it is just a prototype). It has been a flywheel to introduce few studies on Time and Synchronization improvement.