GNSS and SBAS System of Systems: Considerations for Applications in the Arctic

Abstract

Youth for GNSS (YGNSS) is a team created by the Space Generation Advisory Council on GNSS and the International Committee on GNSS (ICG). Composed of students and young professionals, Youth for GNSS aims to recognize and promote the ways in which Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) can benefit society. With the future and health of our planet and its citizens a primary concern, YGNSS aims to secure and optimize how GNSS-based applications and technology will benefit society by promoting compatibility and interoperability of GNSS through a network of systems. In addition to the development and improvement of technology, applications, education, and outreach in regions where GNSS is already established, it is the goal of YGNSS to analyze and promote the importance and impact of GNSS technology in areas with less developed infrastructure, such as in developing countries and in the Arctic. In this paper, drivers of change in the Arctic are discussed based on the impact of GNSS as tools for scientific applications and for strengthening and promoting interoperability of navigation, positioning, and timing systems. Topics such as surveying, mapping, engineering and construction, aviation, maritime and space weather monitoring are discussed. Due to the high ecological sensitivity and extreme weather conditions in Arctic regions, accidents there could cause great environmental damage and also threaten human lives. Navigation integrity is therefore of particular importance in this region.