INFRAXNAV CNCG

Main Goals of the Project

The Italian Space Agency (ASI) has launched an initiative aimed at establishing a National Competence Centre for GNSS (CNCG), an advanced infrastructure dedicated to developing, testing, and validating innovative satellite-navigation technologies, with a specific focus on Galileo.

Coordinated by Telespazio, the project includes the creation of a comprehensive laboratory equipped with dedicated tools, Modelling & Simulation (M&S) capabilities, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SWIL) test environments.

The Centre will support the certification and diagnostic assessment of new GNSS receivers and navigation algorithms, while also serving as a national repository for ASI-developed navigation equipment and as a data processing hub for PNT-related missions.

CIRA Activities in the Project

As subcontractor of Telespazio, CIRA contributes to system definition, design, development, integration, validation, and operational support activities. CIRA will:

• Define requirements and carry out the design and integration of the SWIL environment and development environment subsystems.
• Develop the SWIL modules for simulating GNSS constellations, signals, global error sources (orbit, clock, ionosphere, troposphere), local error sources (multipath, NLOS, interference), terrain morphology, and software defined GNSS receivers.
• Implementation of a Pilot Project that leverages the tools provided by the GNSS competence center for the development and in-flight validation of a UAV navigation system based on GNSS devices using Galileo HAS navigation services.
• Provide engineering support and corrective maintenance for the laboratory operations in the two years following the establishment of the centre.

General Project Information

Funding Programme: ASI – Satellite Navigation Infrastructures

Start Date: 25/07/2024; End Date: 28/07/2028

Coordinating Organization: Telespazio

Partners: CNIT, Qascom, INRIM

CIRA Contact: Gianluca Corraro, g.corraro@cira.it