JRC testing and demonstration hub for the GNSS component of the EU space programme : inventory of GNSS testing capabilities

The European Commission (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC), in the frame of a scientific and technical support activity with the Satellite Navigation Unit of the EC Directorate General Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), has agreed to facilitate testing and demonstrations activities of Research and Development (R&D) Actions under the European Union (EU) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Programmes. In this context, Horizon Europe and Galileo Fundamental Elements project consortia are invited to come to the JRC and access the GNSS testing facilities based in its Ispra Site. With the aim to promote this testing activities, a reference document providing an up-to-date inventory of the GNSS testing capabilities was published in July 2021 and now, with the present inventory, is updated and extended. From the first release of the inventory, the JRC keeps on improving its GNSS laboratory testing capabilities, addressing in the best manner the new challenges and evolving user needs in the GNSS domain, all with a clear focus on Galileo. Since the declaration of the initial services in 2016, Galileo has enriched its portfolio of services, introducing clear differentiators with respect to other GNSS systems. In particular, the Galileo Open Service (OS) has been upgraded with an improved navigation message, acting as a boost of the robustness and time to first fix, the High Accuracy Service (HAS) enables a decimetre-level accuracy through real-time corrections broadcast by Galileo satellites, the OS Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) strengthens the security and resilience against spoofing attacks, the Safety-of-Life (SoL) service enables the implementation of horizontal ARAIM service, responding the requirements of civil aviation. This report is structured as follows. Firstly, it sets the general terms and conditions to request the access to the testing facilities, and secondly, it provides a comprehensive summary of the GNSS testing capabilities that are currently available at the JRC. In many occasions, a reference to past testing campaigns is made to illustrate the typical testbeds and results that were produced. With this reference document at hand, interested project consortia should be able to specify an initial test plan with the required level of detail.