Russia and India are planning to cooperate in the sphere of satellite navigation, Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced at a Moscow recently. He said this was a momentous decision for India, but that the specifics of cooperation in the area had yet to be discussed. Russia’s satellite navigation system, called GLONASS, is operated for the government by the its Space Forces. An improved GLONASS-K satellite, with a reduced weight and an increased operational lifetime of 10-12 years, is due to enter service in 2008. Following a joint venture deal with the Indian government, which will launch two GLONASS-M satellites on its PSLV rockets, it is proposed to have the system fully operational again by 2008 with 18 satellites and by 2010 with all 24 satellites.

The Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) will be fully operational in 2007, the head of the Russian Space Agency, Mr. Anatoly Perminov said recently. He said the president had given orders to restore GLONASS by 2007 while visiting the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan last summer. Under the federal space program approved by the government, the GLONASS grouping will be increased to the minimal level of 18 satellites by 2007. Currently, the system includes 14 satellites in orbit.

Trimble recently announced it has supplied GPS reference stations and Trimble VRSTM (Virtual Reference Station) software to establish five new infrastructure networks throughout China. Located in Shanghai, Wuhan, DongGuan, Tianjin and Beijing, the multi-purpose networks will provide a geo-spatial infrastructure in each area. The networks will supply fast and accurate GPS positioning for a variety of applications including surveying, urban planning, urban and rural construction, environmental monitoring, resource and territory management, disaster prevention and relief, precision agriculture, scientific research and transportation management. The new Trimble VRS installations follow the Shenzhen and Chengdu networks already implemented in China. www.trimble.com

Lockheed Martin Space Systems has announced this week that it has delivered the second of eight GPS IIR satellites it is modernizing. The unit of Bethesda, Md., defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. delivered the satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in US where it will be readied for a January launch. The first modernized GPS-IIR satellite was launched on September 25. It is expected to be declared fully operational in January following a four-month test period.
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Citadel Research and Solutions, has announced the launch of its advanced Vehicle Tracking Solutions (VTS). The Solutions extend features that can help in locating and planning the routes to locations in the city, measure distances, find the shortest routes and GPS tracking.
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@Road plans to launch its tracking solutions in India. Using solutions that employ GPS and internet, clients can view schedules of their workforce, balance workloads across available field resources by shifting assignments and modifying dates and time for service. Companies can track service calls on realtime. The Hindu Business Line

West Virginia University and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in US are using GPS to study black bears. The project will monitor the movement of Maryland’s black bears by using radio collars and determining hunter movements through the use of GPS armband units. Use of GPS help to determine spatial patterns and habitat use of black bears throughout the year, while at the same time allowing them to assess the vulnerability of bears to hunting mortality by providing real-time information of bear and hunter movements during the black bear season.
www.upi.com

Cracking down on illegal fishers will take a new face after the provincial government of Bohol, Philippines donated to the provincial police command a GPS device that could track the exact location of the encroachers. Also donated were a night vision monocular and two hand-held radio sets, to back the GPS tool.
www.theboholchronicle.com

After a close race to the finish line, Applanix joins Carnegie Mellon University in celebrating an impressive second and third place finish of the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge. Using Applanix POS LV (Position and Orientation System, Land Vehicles) integrated Inertial/ GPS technology as part of their on-board navigation systems, the Carnegie Melon University (CMU) Red Teams “Sandstorm” and Red Too Teams “H1ghlander” vehicles both successfully completed the 132.2 mile on-road/off-road course.