EGNOS performance navigation on board oceanographic Hesperides vessel

摘要

This paper aims at presenting EGNOS performance computed by a GNSS receiver on board of the oceanographic Hesperides vessel, which sailed from Cartagena (Spain) to Antarctica, in order to understand the operational requirements that EGNOS can meet in the maritime sector. Hesperides is a global research vessel from the Spanish Navy (Armada Espaola), which is conducted by bye the Instituto Hidrográfico Nacional (Spanish Navy Hydrographic Institute). The Marine Technology Unit (UTM) is responsible for the maintenance of scientific equipment of the ship and provides technical staff for conducting oceanographic campaigns and investigations in the Polar Regions of Antarctica and the Arctic. The research is done in the frame of the National Defence Armaments Pilot Projects. Ministry of Defence of Spain along with Ministry of Transports of Spain allowed ESSP (European Satellite Services Provider) to install a receiver on board of this vessel to analyse the GNSS performance during the complete trajectory. The article will assess the EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) performance over ocean waters and harbour entrances/approaches covered by EGNOS Service area that the Hesperides vessel sailed. EGNOS augments the open public service offered by the GPS in Europe, providing better navigation positioning than GPS standalone within the service area and integrity for safety critical applications. Even if the main objective of the SBAS systems is the civil aviation community, the advantages provided by this technology can be very useful to the maritime sector.