zprávy

New technologies that offer safety and efficiency benefits will define the rail system of the future. GNSS is one such technology and is already being used to track rolling-stock, and in passenger information, traffic management and predictive maintenance systems. In his speech at the ERTMS conference #CCRCC2019 “The Engine for the Digital Future,” European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides outlined how his Agency is working with the rail sector.

Over the last few years, the GSA has been working with its partners in the rail and space domains to introduce GNSS into non-safety relevant applications in the rail sector. This work has paid off, and currently more than 30 000 wagons of German rail freight company DB Cargo are equipped with Galileo-enabled telematics devices. Furthermore, 250 TGV trains in France are already using Galileo-enabled receivers and the rollout of these receivers on non-high speed trains is also in the pipeline.

A game changer

In his address at a conference, organised by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in Valenciennes on October 15-17, the GSA Executive Director noted, however, that when it comes to the use of GNSS in signalling, progress had been slower. “We are simply not there yet and our main objective - to include European GNSS in the evolution of the ERTMS - is still being discussed,” he said.

To this end, the GSA defined a joint roadmap together with UNIFE, CER, Shift2Rail, the ERTMS Users Group and the European Space Agency (ESA) and, in 2016, GNSS entered the rail innovation landscape as an ERTMS game changer in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 to formalise an integrated management process for ERTMS deployment in Europe.

Read this: French railways embrace Galileo

Then, in 2017, together with ERA and International Union of Railways (UIC) the GSA participated in the first demonstration of an E-GNSS based virtual balise concept on board a running train on a pilot line in Sardinia, where work is continuing towards possible certification.

“We have also supported the EU railway industry in conducting a large-scale test campaign to define the achievable GNSS performance in the complex railway environment. Our partners in Shift2Rail are using these results to define the suitable architectures for GNSS inclusion in the ERTMS, hopefully within the next release planned for 2023,” des Dorides said.

Exporting innovation

GNSS is already being used in train positioning for safety relevant applications in the United States and a European manufacturer of GNSS chipsets has been selected to equip more than 30 000 miles of track with an augmentation system, improving GNSS performance in terms of accuracy and integrity. “Their receivers, which are Galileo enabled, will also be mounted on all new freight locomotives of the WABTEC Corporation. This is a clear success for a European company, benefitting from innovation and proving the European capacity to drive innovation,” des Dorides said.

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Rail

Noting that GNSS is already supporting safety-relevant and liability-critical applications in other segments, such as aviation and road, des Dorides noted that in rail too, it was time to progress to the demonstration and certification of the technology “to make sure that Europe does not miss the train.”

“The GSA is committed to providing further support to rail stakeholders in this regard. We are ready to tailor our services, such as in case of EGNOS, based on the operational needs and requirements of railways, with properly defined interoperable interfaces,” he said, adding that this was an important element, as the introduction of GNSS into the ERTMS is not about creating space for any vendor-specific or national solutions.

“What we need is continuation of the commitment and collaboration from rail operators, infrastructure managers and the EU railway industry working with us to overcome the ‘last mile’ towards inclusion of interoperable GNSS-based positioning within the next evolutions of the ERTMS,” he said.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

It’s that time of year again. Preparations are already well underway for European Space Week 2019, which this year will take place at the Helsinki Congress Paasitorni in the Finnish capital on December 3-5. The week will be packed full of exciting events ranging from keynotes, discussions and conference sessions, to the E-GNSS User Assembly, a festive awards ceremony and much more.

As in previous years, European Space Week will address space-related topics targeted at various audiences, from policy-makers and start-ups to public authorities and industry players. With its mix of panel discussions, networking opportunities, business matchmaking sessions and exhibitions, EUSW is an ideal forum for a productive exchange of ideas and discussion of current challenges and future trends in the space sector.

This year’s European Space Week will focus on a number of central themes around sustainability. Participants will investigate how space solutions can help to strengthen the EU’s position as a global leader in climate action. Other themes include the new space economy for sustainable growth; the sustainable space economy - saving space for future generations; and space solutions for a sustainable Arctic. For a full programme of the week’s events, click here.

Read this: Galileo and EGNOS featured at InterGEO 2019

As always, European GNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) will be at the heart of events during Space Week, with an E-GNSS Service Provision Workshop, the E-GNSS User Assembly and a session at which Investors meet Innovators.

E-GNSS in focus

By bringing together stakeholders from across the space ecosystem, European Space Week is an ideal forum to host the E-GNSS User Assembly, which gathers users of position, navigation and time solutions and the organizations involved in the management, service provision and security of Galileo and EGNOS.

At the User Assembly, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) will present an update on GNSS user needs and requirements along with the results of its User Satisfaction Survey. It will also present highlights from the latest GNSS Market Report 2019.

Moreover, keynote speakers representing each market segment and receiver manufacturers will be invited to share the latest trends and applications on consumer solutions, road, aviation, drones, maritime, emergency response, rail, agriculture, geomatics, critical infrastructure and spacecraft.

The E-GNSS Service Provision Workshop will bring together E-GNSS stakeholders, professional and commercial users and application developers to discuss the current status of the EU satellite navigation programmes, and their vision for a stronger EU presence in the satnav applications landscape. There will also be a discussion on the future of EGNSS and the second generation of the Galileo programme. The aim of this session is to ensure that Galileo and EGNOS continue to deliver high quality services, accessible to all in the most cost-efficient manner, and responding to current and future user needs.

And this: Europe’s economy is increasingly dependent on space - ITRE committee hears

Power of synergy

To fully leverage the benefits of the EU space programmes EGNOS, Galileo and Copernicus we need to take a comprehensive look at these programmes. This allows us to see that there are market segments and applications that profit from synergies between E-GNSS and Copernicus and even the GOVSATCOM programme.

The Investors meet Innovators session will give innovators the chance to learn about various private funding opportunities and best practises on how to access funding and sustain their business. At the session, they will be able to engage in intensive discussions with financial partners from various backgrounds such as business angels, venture capitalists, public investment funds, crowd-funding and acceleration programmes.

EUSW will also host an SME Fair, showcasing SMEs developing Galileo, EGNOS or Copernicus-based applications, products and services.

Don’t miss out

Register here to attend European Space Week - Europe’s no. 1 space event. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to discover cutting-edge Galileo and Copernicus applications and meet award-winning entrepreneurs, start-ups and visionaries. During the week, you will also have the opportunity to expand your network and interact with the Earth observation and satellite navigation community and discuss the latest trends with decision-makers, innovators and industry leaders.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).