United Nations/Finland Workshop on the Applications of
Global Navigation Satellite Systems

23 - 26 October 2023
Helsinki, Finland


Jointly organized by
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and
The National Land Survey of Finland

Co-organized and co-sponsored by
The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems,
The Finnish Meteorological Institute,
The University of Vaasa,
The Nordic Institute of Navigation, and
U-blox

   

 

Available Information

 

Report: A/AC.105/1303

 

Introduction

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) technologies are now ubiquitous in everyday life: they are incorporated in electronic devices and are used by the public, surveyors, and geoscientists on a regular basis. In developing countries in particular, GNSS applications offer cost-effective solutions that make it possible to foster economic and social development without neglecting the need to preserve the environment, thus promoting sustainable development.

Current GNSS include the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and the European Satellite Navigation System (Galileo). There are also two regional systems, the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system and the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), as well as various augmentation systems designed to improve one or more GNSS qualities, such as accuracy, robustness, and signal availability.

The availability of GNSS and other space-based systems is creating an unprecedented opportunity, bringing benefits in the areas of emergency management, marine and land monitoring, or fleet control to name a few. Due to this availability, the development of integrated applications is an area in rapid expansion. To address a wide array of GNSS applications for socioeconomic benefits and to focus on initiating pilot projects and strengthening the networking of GNSS-related institutions in the region, a Workshop on the Applications of GNSS will be held in Helsinki from 23 to 26 October 2023. This workshop is being organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in cooperation with the National Land Survey of Finland. The workshop will be hosted by the National Land Survey of Finland on behalf of the Government of Finland.


Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The main objectives of the workshop will be to reinforce the exchange of information between countries and scale up the capacities in the region pursuing the application of GNSS technology solutions; share information on national, regional, and global projects and initiatives, which could benefit regions; and enhance cross-fertilization among those projects and initiatives.

The specific objectives of the workshop will be to introduce GNSS-based technology and its applications; promote the greater exchange of actual experiences with specific applications; focus on appropriate GNSS applications projects at the national and/or regional levels; and define recommendations and findings to be forwarded as a contribution to the Office for Outer Space Affairs and the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), particularly, in forging partnerships to strengthen and deliver capacity-building on satellite navigation science and technology.

The expected outcomes of the workshop will be recommendations and findings on discussed topics to be adopted by the workshop participants; preliminary agreement of cooperation between countries in the region and action plan addressing identified issues/concerns.

The discussions at the workshop will also be linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to its targets set out for Sustainable Development Goals, such as,

 

Preliminary Programme of the workshop

The workshop programme will include plenary sessions and sufficient time for discussions among participants to identify the priority areas where pilot projects should be launched and examine possible partnerships that could be established. A half-day technical tour will be arranged by the Local Organizing Committee during the workshop. As a preliminary suggestion the following sessions will be organized:

Thematic Sessions

Session 1: Current and planned GNSS and satellite-based augmentation systems

  • Programme updates on the worldwide global, regional and augmentation satellite navigation systems in operation and under development


Session 2: Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing

  • Vulnerabilities and impacts
  • Risk assessment
  • Security of supply of GNSS -based services, such as interference monitoring and mitigation


Session 3: Space Weather

  • Atmospheric monitoring (troposphere) to improve numerical weather predictions
  • Space weather monitoring (ionosphere) for space situational awareness
  • Impacts of space weather on technological systems in space and on the ground
  • Space weather effects on GNSS performance and accuracy, and monitoring and forecasting of these effects by scintillation receivers, modelling and other means


Session 4: Low-Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing (LEO-PNT)

  • Status and opportunities related to various international LEO-PNT initiatives


Session 5: GNSS-based applications focusing on, but not limited to

  • Advances and performance benefits due to multi-sensor integration of GNSS applications in surveying and geodesy
  • The use of GNSS for aviation, including integration of satellite navigation technology into air traffic management and airport surface navigation and guidance
  • The use of navigation and timing systems for road, rail, and engineering applications, including vehicle guidance, geographic information system (GIS) mapping, and precision farming
  • Navigation systems operation in marine environment, including waterway navigation, harbour entrance/approach, marine archaeology, fishing, and recreation
  • Commercial applications of GNSS
  • The use of GNSS signals for navigation and positioning of in-orbit space operations, particularly from low-Earth orbit to cis-Lunar


Discussion Sessions

  • Issues, concerns and approaches for pilot projects/initiatives, requirements of implementing, mechanisms and resources of implementing
  • Possible follow-up projects and initiatives and proposals for future workshops/training courses/technical seminars


Technical Tour

 

 

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