The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence, Industry and Space (DG-DEFIS) has awarded two new H2020 mission evolution studies to assess the feasibility of an EGNSS-based safety service for the rail sector beyond 2022, which would enable to rationalise the rail signalling infrastructure

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as Galileo or GPS are made up of 24 to 30 satellites orbiting in medium Earth orbit (regularly at around 20,000 km altitude) on three orbital spheres. Thanks to very precise onboard clocks, each satellite delivers timing information that is used by receivers on the ground to calculate positioning information worldwide. As individual car drivers, we are accustomed to being guided on our car journeys, but this positioning information is also used for mobility in the broadest sense, whatever the means of transportation, to help position and navigate on our trips.

The agreement will enable the publication of EGNOS-based approach procedures in these Czechoslovak airports