Timing Activities at INRIM in the Frame of the Galileo Project

摘要

Since 1999 different timing activities at the INRiM (formerly IEN G. Ferraris) are devoted to the development of the European Satellite Navigation System Galileo, in collaboration with European space industries and the European Space Agency (ESA). Currently four main projects are in progress. In early 2006, an experimental phase called 'Galileo System Test Bed V2 (GSTB V2)' or 'GIOVE Mission' has been launched, supported by ESA, and INRiM takes part in it, hosting a Galileo prototype receiver connected to the time reference signals, and analyzing the data coming from the first experimental Galileo satellites in order to characterize the onboard clocks. In addition, INRiM is also involved in the Galileo development (phase CDE1), supported by ESA, by designing the time scale algorithm of one of the Galileo ground time laboratories named the Precise Time Facility. A consortium of different industries and UTC (k) laboratories are developing the prototype of the Galileo Time Service Provider, supported by the European Union, with the aim to provide to the Galileo system the necessary corrections to maintain the Galileo system time in agreement with UTC. INRiM contributes as one of the UTC (k) laboratories, supporting also the algorithm, standardization, and BIPM interface activities. Recently, INRiM began to develop an integrity algorithm for monitoring the clock and identifying possible malfunctioning.v.