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For decennium , the Global Positioning System ( GPS ) has maintained a de facto monopoly on position , piloting and timing , because it ’s gimcrack and already integrated into million of devices around the world . ButXona Space Systemsthinks a more accurate system will be necessary to surmount self-governing vehicle ( Ab ) , in advance robotics and other technologies for the 21st one C .
The startup plans to launch a satellite configuration in low Earth orbit that would act as a commercial Global Positioning System choice . Called Pulsar , the web could potentially cost less to operate while declare oneself more accurate geolocation data .
Xona was founded in 2019 by seven Stanford alumnus schooling alumni ; most encounter during grad schoolhouse . CTO Tyler Reid start on to get his PhD there and wreak in the university ’s GPS Research Lab , later joining Ford ’s autonomous vehicle mathematical group in 2017 . He worked on “ localisation principle requirement , ” or the level of navigation performance an self-directed fomite or driver assistance function call for to operate safely , and trying to break or procure that technical school .
Many vehicles today that incorporate autonomous features use a combination of technologies , like cameras , lidar sensing element and radar sensor to navigate . But Xona ’s CEO Brian Manning say that while these sensors work well in structured environments , like cities , their efficacy is degrade in unstructured environment , like the middle of a desert . Fortunately , being unimpeded by buildings and other features , GPS run to work very well in those places .
“ The problem , though , is that GPS just has nowhere near the level of accuracy or really availability or robustness to be a complementary sensor , ” Manning said .
“ That ’s when we really started to realize how big the crack is between your GPS is today , and where the demand of at least the automotive market are and where they ’re very speedily run short , ” he continued . “ What if we could build a fresh Global Positioning System using more of the SpaceX learning ability instead of the government catching wit ? ”
Xona ’s approach is certainly more SpaceX than Boeing . The 31 satellites that bring home the bacon GPS are all exquisite , ultra - expensive , and synchronized with nanosecond precision using massive on - board nuclear clocks . In contrast , Xona ’s Pulsar service of process is builton a patented“cloud architecture for nuclear pin clover , ” as Manning put it , which he arrogate will dramatically repulse down the monetary value of each orbiter but still furnish club of magnitude higher tier of truth . Think an truth of several centimeters , rather than meters .
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Xona launched its first monstrance artificial satellite in 2022 to show the marrow patented IP , and that planet has now get hold of the end of its life-time . The first yield - course of study planet will set up in June 2025 and will be built by Belgian planet manufacturing business Aerospacelab . Xona is eventually aiming to launch a configuration of 300 satellite . Different client groups will be capable to start up benefiting from the service even before the full configuration is operational , Manning said .
The companionship has designed its sign to be backward compatible with many existing GPS chipsets , though some are “ ahead compatible , ” man state . But in general , chipsets will only involve a firmware update to get at the encrypted Pulsar signal .
Rob Desborough , a GP at Seraphim Space , described our dependence on GPS as an “ infrangible ” in a statement . “ outage could cause incalculable damage to the global saving , while enhancement open up up whole new industries , ” he say . “ waitress for GPS to fail , or for hostile force to spoof it , is not an option for our security or commercial industries . ”
This new funding round will go toward getting the first production - class planet up in orbit , as well as build out the ground segment to affirm Pulsar and grow the 25 - person squad .
