50 Years of GPS Collaboration and Engagement between the UK and USA A RIN Heritage event
First Vehicle Installation of GPS in UK Land Rover trials ~1983 (Image provided by John Owen)

 

50 years ago, over US Labor Day Weekend, GPS was defined and "architected" in a quiet corner of the Pentagon: the "Lonely Halls Meeting". On 30th November 2023 RIN will host a webinar which will share perspectives from UK innovators and engineers who were involved in the significant and important US-UK collaborations as GPS took shape.  The key elements of what was to become the GPS system were resolved at the US Pentagon "Lonely Halls" meeting in 1973. These included the number of satellites, the orbital height, the choice of signal structure, clock accuracy required ... in essence all the key elements of the GPS system that is in operation today.  

For this reason, 2023 represents the "50th Anniversary" of GPS and, indeed, the 50th anniversary for the basis of all four Global Navigation Satellite Systems in operation today. To mark this anniversary the RIN held a webinar on 30th November 2023. 

The webinar was given by John Owen who ran the UK GPS programme from 1990 through 2010. John Owen is a professional engineer with over 40 years’ experience in research, development and deployment of navigation systems, avionics and antennas across military and civil applications. Recognised as a national and world expert in satellite navigation systems and their application. A proven track record of moving research concepts through to production and deployment, particularly with UK MOD and NATO forces.  

Formerly a Senior Fellow with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) where he led the navigation team, John has extensive experience of international collaborative programmes with the US, NATO, ICAO, the European Commission and European Space Agency. On retirement from DSTL, John formed Border Consulting to provide technical support to UK Government programmes.

John was accompanied by UK representatives to the GPS JPO and NATO team, Tony Anderson, Lyn Dutton, Allen Snowball and John Stevenson and members of the navigation team in RAE/MOD Roger Stokes and Rob Linham.

John's presentation reviews UK’s involvement in GPS from the very early days through to the recent events. Work commenced in 1975 by Royal Aircraft Establishment’s Radio-Navigation and Space Depts. Early work with the US GPS JPO included analysis of data from NTS-2 the first experimental GPS satellite, the early receiver and adaptive antenna development work in RAE and with UK industry. UK’s involvement in the development of the NATO team and Standardization agreements. Later the formation of the Navigation Warfare programme and its requirements for new GPS signals and UK’s roll in the Gallileo programme to achieve compatibility.

This webinar was first given on 30th November 2023 and was researched, produced and presented by John Owen, Allen Snowball, Tony Anderson, Lyn Dutton, John Stevenson, Rob Linham and Roger Stokes. Many thanks to them for all their work.