Chaired by Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan of the State of Indiana, ASA is composed of representatives from 44 states, many of whom are Lieutenant Governors appointed by their governors to represent their respective states' interest in aerospace-related policy matters.

By unanimous decision, ASA passed a resolution that endorses the U.S. government efforts to work with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the international organization responsible for spectrum allocations, to protect and preserve GNSS from communications applications that risk harm and disruptive interference to operation of the safety of life of GNSS services and the eight million and growing public and private sector customers increasingly reliant on a viable GNSS.

Among its findings, the ASA resolution stated that "Radionavigation satellite services are a practical application of space technology that is resulting in benefits to people around the world." The Resolution cites specific examples of where the precise timing and navigation are having positive impacts on a staggering range of economic and social sectors.

According to Lt. Governor Kernan, "Although my colleagues and I were generally familiar with the many benefits of GNSS, it was truly staggering to understand just how critically dependent our economic infrastructure has become on this marvelous information utility. Everyone from farmers in my state to anyone who uses the Internet and a mobile phone and an emergency service is relying on the precise timing of the GNSS. ASA is very pleased to lend its strong support to the U.S. government's effort to protect this system against outside inference and encroachment."

In Spring of 2000, the ITU will be sponsoring the biannual World Radio Communications Conference (WRC-00) where the issue of protection of the GNSS spectrum will be a major agenda topic. U.S. GPS Industry Council Chair, Charles Trimble, stated that the "ASA resolution should provide a real boost to our U.S. officials in showing that their hard and dedication to the position of "no change" to the allocation of the GNSS spectrum has strong state government endorsement."

Resolution

Resolution of the Aerospace States Association Fall Quarterly Meeting - Pasadena, California December 7, 1998

Resolution Advocating Preservation of Existing International Allocation For Radionavigation Satellites Services (Resolution 99-01)

Findings

Radionavigation satellite services are a practical application of space technology that is resulting in benefits to people around the world, including:

Public Sector Benefits (at local, state, and national levels):

• Increases the efficiency of the use of fixed infrastructure assets, such as ports and harbors, roadways, rail links and air routes;
• Improves the efficiency response time of emergency services, such as police, fire, and ambulance;
• Speeds disaster relief and is fundamental to search and rescue;
• Protects property and saves lives.

Industrial Base Productivity and Economic Sectors:

• Agriculture, Aviation, Automotive, Banking, Commercial Space, Construction, Emergency Medical Response, Geographical Information Systems, Mining, Mineral Exploration, Natural Resource Management, Survey, Transportation (Space, Air, Land, Maritime), Telecommunications, Utilities.

Critical Information Infrastructure Technology Component:

• Time synchronization, including Internet, power grids, mobile and paging communication cell sites, electronic banking, and stock transactions.

Consumers worldwide use Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to increase their safety and security in their cars, boats, airplanes, and as tourists exploring the outdoors and new urban environments, e.g., both European and American reference guides include GNSS coordinates for tourist use. Soon GNSS will be an integral component of cellular telephones 911 services.

The United States and Russia currently operate GNSS composed of radionavigation satellites. The signals from these satellites are available free of direct user charges;

In addition to the GPS and GLONASS systems operated respectively by the United States and Russia, Europe and Japan are building space-based augmentation systems to improve the accuracy, availability, and integrity of GNSS signals for international aviation;

The signals from GNSS systems, and in particular GPS, are widely used for precise navigation, positioning, and timing by users on the Earth and increasingly in space;

GNSS signals are being used to navigate and control unmanned satellites individually and as part of emerging commercial communication networks;

GNSS signals are required for crew safety aboard the Space Shuttle and will be required by the International Space Station; and

GNSS is continuing to evolve and is expected to find new uses in space and on the Earth.

Noting

The International Telecommunications Union is the international organization responsible for spectrum allocations and the assignment of satellite slots in geosynchronous orbit;

Any reallocation of the radiospectrum set aside for GNSS signals (1559-1610 MHz) to communications use risks harmful and disruptive interference to operational GNSS services and the installed user base due to the incompatibility between two way voice and data broadcast signals and receive only radiopositioning signals;

While GNSS signals are internationally protected at present in the Space-to-Earth direction, such signals are not protected in the Earth-to-Space and Space-to-Space directions;

The issue of protection for GNSS will be taken up at the next World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-2000) in Istanbul, Turkey; and The Aerospace States Association has its primary interest the economic development and educational opportunities that derive form the nation's aerospace programs, and protection of GNSS is clearly in the best interest of our member states and their private and public sector entities.

Resolved

The existing international allocation for radionavigation satellites services should be preserved and protected in its entirety from harmful interference;

No portion of this band should be ceded at anytime to commercial two-way broadcast due to the evolutionary nature of GNSS which is driven by rapidly growing worldwide user demand;

Protection of radionavigation satellite services should also be extended to uses in the Earth-to-Space and Space-to-Space directions;

These additional protections are necessary for future space exploration, navigation, science, and most importantly, crew safety, and safety of people worldwide;

The Aerospace States Association will communicate its views to appropriate representatives of the ITU, national spectrum authorities, space agencies, international municipal and regional public sector counterparts, and other affected parties in order to promote international understanding and cooperation for the protection of GNSS services.

Resolved and adopted by a unanimous/majority vote of the membership this 7th day of December 1998.

About The United States GPS Industry Council

Membership includes major U.S. manufacturers of GPS receiver equipment. Working cooperatively through members and major GPS user groups, its serves as an information resource to government policy makers, industry officials and the media. USGIC offices are located at 1655 North Fort Myer Drive Suite 855, Arlington, VA 22209. For further information contact F. Michael Swiek, Managing Director at: Tel. 703-807-0704, Fax. 703-807-0740.

GPS UPDATE - SpaceDaily Special Report

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