Editorial 05 / From the Guest Editor 06 / Product Watch

Disarmament in Space

Space has always been a great ‘asset’ for the military. The ability to conduct reconnaissance without dangerous clandestine forays in foreign airspace is a big attraction. While optical sensors on satellites were a big step forward from ultrahigh altitude spy planes like the U2, radar satellites provide information of a class beyond the capabilities of optical and IR sensors.

Yet another class of satellites are the ELINT satellites which can pick up radio chatter. Then there are the GNSS for location, navigation and timing used for guiding offensive forces in the air, sea and on the ground. Conventional communications satellites are also used for strategic communications in C4ISR.

In a classic spear and shield paradigm, powerful lasers have been used to blind optical spy satellites and jammers have been used to temporarily incapacitate radar, ELINT, GNSS and Comsats. ASATs are another approach for a more permanent solution by eliminating such satellites. But ASATs create a mess of debris which threaten other Space assets. Nearly 250 trackable debris resulted from the Indian ASAT test on March 27, 2019.

In 1967, anticipating such a scenario, the United Nations, in its Outer Space Treaty, specifically stated that “States shall not place nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies or station them in outer Space in any other manner”. Note the use of the words ‘place’ and ‘station’.

An interesting point much argued in the UN was the definition of where outer Space begins. After much wrangling, it was decided that it begins at 100 Km, also called the Kárman Line, where the speed of an aircraft has to be higher than the orbital speed in order to generate sufficient lift. In effect, everything below 100 Km is aeronautics, while everything above is astronautics. Many countries strenuously objected to this as it would restrict ICBMs, which spend a considerable time of their flight above 100 Km in a sub-orbital trajectory, and thus would violate the Outer Space Treaty. The treaty mentions ‘place’ and ‘stationing’ but is silent about ‘passage’. Thus, ICBMs and ASATs merely passing through outer Space on their mission do not violate the Treaty.

On December 4, 2014, the General Assembly of the UN passed two more resolutions on preventing an arms race in outer Space. The first one calls on all States, in particular those with major Space capabilities, to contribute actively to the peaceful use of outer Space and prevent an arms race in Space.The second one talks about no first positioning of weapons in outer Space.

However, this has not prevented countries from looking at Space militarization and setting up Space Commands — China and Russia in 2015, France in 2019 and the US in 2020. While such commands cover defense rather than offence, the dividing line is thin. In a war situation, C4ISR uses all these technologies for both offence and defense. Denial of GPS service, for example, in the Gulf War and allegedly during the Kargil conflict are examples of such offensive use. It is also alleged that a Russian satellite shadowed a US spy satellite and fired a projectile at it.

Clearly, disarmament is not only needed on Earth, but as the UN anticipates, in Space as well.

Prof. Arup Dasgupta arup@geospatialworld.net

Change is the Constant

It’s truly my pleasure to have had the opportunity to perform the duties of Guest Editor for this edition of Geospatial World. There is rich content herein, provided by a broad range of professionals with a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. However, even in the broad spectrum of perspectives there are a few common themes.

First, it’s clear that the only constant in our business is change. In almost every piece that follows, the authors articulate the changing nature of the people, processes, and technology related to geospatial and international security. Sir Stuart Peach recognizes the ongoing challenge of this change and suggests: “The trick is to take advantage of new technologies, apply them quickly and not allow our own processes to get in the way.”

Second, to borrow a phrase from my colleague Dr. Chris Tucker, is the challenge of the “cyber-location nexus”. We are all conditioned to believe what we see on our screens. This is evidenced by myriad anecdotal examples of people driving into things like bodies of water because they were blindly following their navigation device. In those cases, they were probably victims of devices with old or bad data, but not because of any malign actors. In this edition, Diana Furchgott-Ross raises concern about the reliability of our GNSS systems, specifically GPS. Vice Admiral Robert Sharp shares his concern regarding GPS as well. Robert Cardillo goes further to talk about the importance of being able to assure the “pedigree of our pixels”, imploring our community to invest appropriate energy into assuring geospatial and image data provenance.

Third, both Commodore Bhaskar (Retd) and Lieutenant General Mohanty speak about the realities of the current geopolitical milieu. Both of these distinguished military leaders share their perspectives on the increasing interest in the Indian Ocean region, drawing China, Russia, and the United States into reimagining their respective interests, with India playing a paramount role.

Finally, this edition chronicles several companies that are leading exciting advances in Remote Sensing: BlackSky, HawkEye360, and Capella Space. Brian E. O’Toole of BlackSky shares their vision for aggressively building out downstream applications for their electro-optical systems. HawkEye360 is at the forefront of providing radio frequency (RF) Remote Sensing. Alex Fox shares that the value of RF is that it “detects, characterizes, and locates signals across land, sea, air, and Space.” Capella Space, along with ICEYE, Umbra, and others are offering next-generation commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR). As many in our community contend, and I concur, this seems like the advent of an exciting new era for SAR. In sum, as commercial Remote Sensing capabilities proliferate, the national security community will need to continually assess the balance between inherently governmental missions and missions that can be ‘offloaded’ to commercial providers. Clearly, most nations will adopt a hybrid approach to gain access to the optimal mix of both.

I hope all of you appreciate the depth and breadth of information and insights offered in this edition of Geospatial World. I encourage you to share, discuss, and comment on the content in this issue. Our community is stronger when we have a vibrant discourse about what we do and how we do it. Everyone’s voice is welcomed and encouraged!

Keith J. Masback keith@geospatialworld.net

Key Features

• Full GNSS compliance: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo,

BeiDou and IRNSS/NAVIC • Dual-frequency for improved performances • Up to 25Hz update rate for high-dynamics applications • Embedded LNA allows use of passive antennas

New High-precision GNSS Receiver Module for Multi-Frequency and Multi-constellation Applications

New 3D Reality Capture Solution for Multiple Industries

Telit has launched SE868SY-D, a multi-frequency, high-precision GNSS receiver module for applications that require high accuracy, fast updates, multi-constellation support and multipath resistance. At 11×11 mm, the SE868SY-D easily accommodates ultra-compact devices and Internet of Things (IoT) trackers. Featuring Sony’s CXD5610 GNSS receiver large scale integration, the SE868SY-D is the first product from a new strategic collaboration between Sony and Telit.

The SE868SY-D module is Telit’s first multi-frequency, multi-constellation (MCMF) GNSS receiver module, featuring an ultra-sensitive -167 dBm (tracking) RF front end. By using both the L1 and L5 bands, the module supplies a significantly higher location accuracy than single-frequency devices — even in high-multipath environments such as urban canyons. The SE868SY-D offers a pin-to-pin compatible migration path in Telit’s portfolio for applications based on the legacy GPS module JF2 and GNSS module SE868V3.

Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, has launched a reality capture solution for a variety of industries. By combining Boston Dynamics agile mobile robot Spot with the Leica RTC360 3D laser scanner, scanning time spent by human operators is significantly reduced by programming the devices to repeat automated scanning paths through sites. This requires minimal monitoring by the user, allowing for increased scanning efficiency, productivity, and flexibility when planning reality capture tasks. Professionals in many different industries can benefit from programmed scanning tasks, especially for locations that must be repeatedly scanned for up-to-date digital twins.

While mounted atop Spot, the Leica RTC360’s VIS (Visual Inertial System) technology uses five cameras to track the scanner’s movement within the site between the scans. The VIS provides an unmatched level of accurate and automated in-field pre-registration to streamline the reality capture process. User-friendly

• Allows users to speed up routine as-built documentation tasks • Capture data accurately, quickly, and frequently • Can be used by any industry with autonomous scanning needs, such as construction, manufacturing, facility management, public safety, defense, media and entertainment

Airborne LiDAR System with IMU, GNSS, 3D Scanner and Camera

Dual Frequency Timing Module to Counter Jamming, Spoofing New Portable and Targeted 3D Data Capture Device for Scans in Tight Spaces

Advanced and Efficient

• Lightest unit in class • Advanced accuracy • Efficient scanning • Flexible integration CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has released the AlphaAir 450 (AA450) LiDAR system, a very lightweight and compact all-in-one sensor. Featuring internal IMU, GNSS, 3D scanner and camera, the AlphaAir 450 solution is widely used for power line inspection, topographic mapping, emergency response, agricultural and forestry surveys, and more. The unit is easy to use, and it is allowed for rapid deployment in the field. The AlphaAir 450 is a major breakthrough in the democratization of mobile mapping technology, allowing its use by non-professional users in the geospatial reality capture industry.

The AlphaAir 450 weighs 1 kg, which is perfectly suited to the drones’ payload requirements. The lighter the unit, the longer the operating time of the drone, and the greater the productivity. By combining industrial grade GNSS with a high precision IMU, the AlphaAir 450 can easily achieve an absolute accuracy of 5 cm (vertical) and 10 cm (horizontal) for small survey areas, which is typically adequate for the most use cases. Featuring IP64 high-level protection, the AlphaAir 450 extends its operating temperature capabilities, down to -20℃ and up to +50℃, in any field environment and increases users’ return on investment by providing more field survey days in a year.

Trimble has introduced its first dual-frequency embedded timing module that provides next-generation networks with 5-nanosecond accuracy. The Trimble® RES 720™ GNSS timing module is a surface-mount module that is easily integrated into network equipment. It uses L1 and L5 GNSS signals to provide superior protection to jamming and spoofing, mitigates multipath in harsh environments, and adds security features to make it the ideal choice for resilient networks. The RES 720 module measures 19 millimeters by 19 millimeters and provides a low-cost, easy-to-use, highly accurate and reliable GPS timing source for critical infrastructure in a broad range of industries. The RES 720 is an ideal solution for 5G Open RAN / XHaul, smart grid, data center, industrial automation and SATCOM networks as well as calibration services and perimeter monitoring applications. FARO Technologies, Inc. has released the Freestyle 2 handheld scanner for construction. This fast, portable, and targeted 3D data capture device can scan even the tightest spaces such as above ceilings, intertwined plumbing and fire protection systems, pipes and ducts, etc. more easily than ever. Whether being used standalone or combined with a FARO® Focus Laser Scanner, the Freestyle 2 gives contractors a new way to capture accurate 3D point clouds of their projects for planning, verification, and handover needs.

Product Utility

• Better multi-path detection capabilities • Reduces the timing error under clear skies to less than 5 nanoseconds • Compensates for the ionospheric error from multi-GNSS satellite constellations Major Highlights

Compact | Faster | More Complete Data Real-Time Visualization | Ideal Companion