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The Department of Commerce is involved in a wide variety of issues and activities related to the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS). These include GPS policy and management, GPS modernization, international GPS cooperation, and GPS interference and spectrum management. Learn more about these issues at GPS.gov
The Department’s interest in GPS comes from its multiple roles as a user of GPS, provider of a GPS augmentation service (CORS), representative of commercial GPS manufacturers and users, member of the federal body that coordinates GPS matters, and regulator of GPS-related radio spectrum (NTIA), technology exports (BIS), and intellectual property (USPTO).
On June 11, economist Irv Leveson delivered a public presentation on the preliminary results of his ongoing study on the economic benefits of GPS. The Office of Space Commercialization leads the interagency team of federal …
On June 9, the Office of Space Commercialization co-chaired the seventh meeting of the GPS-Galileo Working Group “B” on Trade and Civil Applications in Vienna, Austria. The meeting occurred on the margins of some meetings of …
Jason Kim of the Office of Space Commercialization spoke about GNSS market access at last week’s meetings of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG) and ICG Providers’ Forum in Prague, Czech Republic. He presented U.S. …
Presentation on International GNSS Market Access Read more »
On June 5-6, the Office of Space Commercialization participated in a series of meetings in Spain to discuss U.S. space/GNSS cooperation with the European Union. The Office co-chaired a meeting of the GPS-Galileo Working Group …
On April 28, 2014, the Air Force began broadcasting civil navigation (CNAV) messages on all operational GPS satellites capable of transmitting the L2C and L5 signals. L2C and L5 are the first of several new …
Air Force Adds Navigation Data to Modernized Civil GPS Signals Read more »
On March 25, the Office of Space Commercialization co-chaired a meeting of the GPS-Galileo Working Group on Trade and Civil Applications in Munich, Germany. It was the fifth such meeting since the group’s establishment under …
The governments of the United States and Japan held their 10th plenary meeting in Tokyo, Japan, on July 24, 2013, to review and discuss cooperation in the civil use of GPS and the Quasi-Zenith Satellite …
2013 Joint Announcement on U.S.-Japan GPS Cooperation Read more »
The governments of the United Kingdom and the United States today announced that they had reached a common understanding of intellectual property rights related to GPS and will work together to address broader global navigation …
Joint UK–U.S. Statement Regarding GPS Intellectual Property Read more »
On February 14, 2012, the FCC announced that, based on NTIA’s recommendation, “the Commission will not lift the prohibition” on LightSquared’s terrestrial network operations. NTIA delivered its recommendation to the FCC earlier that day after …
The governments of the United States and Japan held their 9th plenary meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 2012, to review and discuss cooperation in the civil use of space-based positioning, navigation and timing …
2012 Joint Announcement on U.S.-Japan GPS Cooperation Read more »
On September 8, 2011, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology held a hearing on the impacts of the LightSquared network on federal science activities. Officials from NOAA, NASA, DOT, USGS, and the National …
House Science Committee Hearing on LightSquared Impacts to GPS Read more »
On September 8, the House Science Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed LightSquared wireless communications network and its potential interference to GPS users. NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations Mary Glackin will …
NOAA Official to Testify on GPS Interference Issue Read more »
In March 2011, the American Meteorological Society published a report on “Satellite Navigation & Space Weather: Understanding the Vulnerability & Building Resilience,” based on a workshop it conducted on the topic in October 2010. The …
AMS Report on Satellite Navigation and Space Weather Read more »
On October 26-27, the Department of Commerce participated in U.S. consultations with the Australian government in Washington, D.C., to review progress under and build future activities on the 2007 Joint Delegation Statement on Cooperation in …
Joint Announcement on U.S.-Australia Civil GPS and Space Cooperation Read more »
Today, President Obama issued a National Space Policy directive providing comprehensive guidance for all government activities in space, including the commercial, civil, and national security space sectors. The new policy leans farther forward in support …
The next meeting of the GPS-Galileo Working Group “B” on Trade and Civil Applications is scheduled for April 20, 2010, in Brussels, Belgium. There will be a 45-minute teleconference at the beginning of the meeting …
The governments of the United States and Japan convened a plenary meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 13, 2010, to review and discuss cooperation in the civil use of GPS and GPS augmentations, including Japan’s …
2010 Joint Announcement on U.S.-Japan GPS Cooperation Read more »
On December 7, 2009, Jason Kim of the Office of Space Commercialization delivered a presentation on “Commercial Opportunities to Use GPS for Sustainable Development” at the Global Space Technology Forum 2009 in Abu Dhabi, United …
Presentation from Global Space Technology Forum 2009 Read more »
On October 27, Jason Kim of the Office of Space Commercialization presented a GPS program and policy update at a meeting of the Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC) International Information Subcommittee in Stockholm, Sweden. …
Presentations from Navigation Conference in Sweden Read more »
On August 25, NOAA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) cut the ribbon on a monitoring station in Guam that will track spacecraft from JAXA’s upcoming Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). Designed to work seamlessly …
QZSS Ground Station Established at NOAA Site in Guam Read more »
On July 15, 2009, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) submitted a report to Congress on U.S. equipment industry access to Galileo markets and Europe’s compliance with the trade provisions in the GPS-Galileo …
USTR Report to Congress on Galileo Market Access Read more »
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is collecting public comments on U.S. industry access to Galileo markets, to assess compliance with the GPS-Galileo Agreement of 2004. The comments will help USTR prepare a …
Comments Sought on Galileo Equipment Market Access Read more »
In April 2009, the Air Force announced the successful activation of the experimental L5 transmitter on the GPS IIR-20(M) satellite. This was an important step in securing the 1176.45 MHz frequency for use by GPS …
Jason Kim of the Office of Space Commercialization delivered a presentation on the U.S. GPS program and policy at the Trimble Dimensions 2009 conference in Las Vegas. Download presentation at GPS.gov