Article Posted on : - Feb 09, 2014

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): In a major step ahead towards its implementation, India's prestigious satellite-based system GAGAN to guide and navigate aircraft on a vast airspace over land and high seas has received a major certification.

The GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system, jointly developed by Airports Authority of India, the Indian Space Research Organisation and American firm Raytheon, has achieved certification level Required Navigation Performance (RNP) 0.1, the US company said in a release.

With this, GAGAN becomes the fourth Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) certified for operational use in the world, the others being developed by the US, Europe and Japan.

RNP is a type of performance-based navigation that allows an aircraft to fly a specific path between two three- dimensionally defined points in space. RNP value of 0.1 allows aircraft to follow precise three-dimensional curved flight paths through congested airspace, around noise sensitive areas or through difficult terrain.

This SBAS is equipped with the most advanced air navigation technology, which would be able to guide aircraft from the high seas from Singapore to West Africa in the South to the entire Himalayan range in the North.

Civilian aircraft in Indian airspace would have access to more precision navigation data than ever before. The airplanes equipped with SBAS receivers would be able to utilise GAGAN signals in Indian airspace for en route navigation and non- precision approaches without vertical guidance.

This capability would allow the planes to follow more efficient flight paths through congested airspace, noise sensitive areas or difficult terrain.

GAGAN includes 15 reference stations strategically placed in India to optimise signal availability, uplink stations, master control stations, communication network and associated software, all integrated to two Geostationary Earth Orbit satellites.