MGEX Pilot Project
The Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) has been set-up by the IGS to track, collate and analyze all available GNSS signals. This includes signals from the BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, and NAVIC systems, as well as from modernized GPS and GLONASS satellites and any space-based augmentation system (SBAS) of interest. Analysis centers characterize new satellites and signals, compare equipment performance and further develop processing software capable of handling multiple GNSS observation data. The IGS product portfolio will continuously be extended to cover precise ephemeris data and bias information for all constellations.Over a period of four years, a global network of multi-GNSS stations has been established and integrated with the existing network of GPS/GLONASS reference stations. In parallel, orbit and clock products for most new constellations are generated on a routine basis. It has therefore been decided in early 2016 to terminate the experimental phase of MGEX and to pursue the IGS multi-GNSS activities as a pilot project. Given the high recognition received so far, the name “MGEX” will be retained for the pilot project.
News
| Date | News |
|---|---|
| 2023/01/31 | Start of G079 signal transmission |
| 2023/01/18 | Launch of 6th GPS III satellite G079 |
| 2022/12/13 | Publication of satellite metadata format description 1.00 |
| 2022/11/28 | Launch of the last GLONASS-M+ satellite R861 |
| 2022/10/10 | Launch of the GLONASS-K1B satellite R807 |
| 2022/07/07 | Launch of the GLONASS-K1B satellite R806 |
| 2022/05/25 | Fifth GPS III satellite G078 set healthy |
| 2022/03/25 | QZS-1 decommisioned |
| 2022/03/24 | QZS-1R declared operational |
| 2022/01/31 | QZS-1R set healthy |
| 2022/01/03 | Start of Galileo E224 signal transmissions |
| 2022/01/02 | Start of Galileo E223 signal transmissions |
| 2021/12/07 | RINEX 4.00 released |
| 2021/12/05 | Launch of Galileo satellites E223 and E224 |
| 2021/11/17 | Start of QZS-1R test transmissions |
| 2021/10/26 | Launch of QZS-1R |
| 2021/05/18 | Test campaign for Galileo high accuracy service (HAS) announced |
| 2020/11/04 | Launch of the 4th GPS III satellite Sacagawea |
| 2020/10/25 | Launch of the GLONASS-M+ satellite R805 |
| 2020/06/30 | Launch of the 3rd GPS III satellite Matthew Henson |
| 2020/08/22 | Launch of the 2nd GPS III satellite Magellan |
| 2019/12/11 | Launch of the GLONASS-M+ satellite R805 |
| 2019/06/24 | Launch of a BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2019/05/27 | Launch of a GLONASS-M+ satellite |
| 2019/05/17 | Launch of a BeiDou-2 GEO satellite |
| 2019/04/20 | Launch of first BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2018/12/27 | Start of BeiDou global service |
| 2018/12/23 | Launch of the first GPS III satellite |
| 2018/11/18 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/11/01 | Launch of the first BeiDou-3 GEO satellite |
| 2018/11/01 | Official start of QZSS services |
| 2018/10/23 | Start of C34 and C35 signal transmission |
| 2018/10/15 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/10/08 | Start of E33 signal transmission |
| 2018/10/07 | Start of E15 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/21 | Start of E36 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/20 | Start of E13 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/19 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/09/02 | Start of C25 and C26 signal transmission |
| 2018/08/24 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/08/04 | Start of C23 and C24 signal transmission |
| 2018/07/29 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/07/25 | Launch of four Galileo satellites |
| 2018/07/09 | Launch of a BeiDou-2 IGSO satellite |
| 2019/12/30 | Release of BeiDou-3 metadata (in Chinese) |
| 2019/12/16 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2019/12/11 | Launch of a GLONASS-M+ satellite |
| 2019/12/09 | Release of BeiDou-2 metadata |
| 2019/11/23 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2019/11/04 | Launch of a BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2019/09/22 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2019/08/22 | Launch of the second GPS III satellite |
| 2019/06/24 | Launch of a BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2019/05/27 | Launch of a GLONASS-M+ satellite |
| 2019/05/17 | Launch of a BeiDou-2 GEO satellite |
| 2019/04/20 | Launch of first BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2018/12/27 | Start of BeiDou global service |
| 2018/12/23 | Launch of the first GPS III satellite |
| 2018/11/18 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/11/01 | Launch of the first BeiDou-3 GEO satellite |
| 2018/11/01 | Official start of QZSS services |
| 2018/10/23 | Start of C34 and C35 signal transmission |
| 2018/10/15 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/10/08 | Start of E33 signal transmission |
| 2018/10/07 | Start of E15 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/21 | Start of E36 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/20 | Start of E13 signal transmission |
| 2018/09/19 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/09/02 | Start of C25 and C26 signal transmission |
| 2018/08/24 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/08/04 | Start of C23 and C24 signal transmission |
| 2018/07/29 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/07/25 | Launch of four Galileo satellites |
| 2018/07/09 | Launch of a BeiDou-2 IGSO satellite |
| 2018/06/16 | Launch of a GLONASS-M satellite |
| 2018/05/08 | Start of E27 signal transmission |
| 2018/05/07 | Start of E31 signal transmission |
| 2018/05/01 | Start of E21 signal transmission |
| 2018/04/13 | Start of E25 signal transmission |
| 2018/04/09 | Start of C29/C30 signal transmission |
| 2018/04/11 | Launch of IRNSS-1I |
| 2018/03/29 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/02/20 | Start of C21/C22 signal transmission |
| 2018/02/19 | BeiDou Open Service Signal B3I ICD published |
| 2018/02/12 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2018/01/26 | Start of C27 signal transmission |
| 2018/01/21 | Start of C28 signal transmission |
| 2018/01/12 | QZS-4 declared usable |
| 2018/01/11 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2017/12/12 | Launch of four Galileo satellites |
| 2017/11/20 | Dilssner F. (2017) A note on the yaw attitude modeling of BeiDou IGSO-6 |
| 2017/11/05 | Launch of two BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2017/11/01 | Start of QZS-4 signal transmission |
| 2017/10/09 | Launch of the fourth QZSS satellite MICHIBIKI-4 |
| 2017/10/06 | Galileo FOC satellite metadata published |
| 2017/09/15 | Start of QZS-2 trial service |
| 2017/09/10 | Start of QZS-3 signal transmission |
| 2017/08/19 | Launch of the third QZSS satellite MICHIBIKI-3 |
| 2017/08/09 | Galileo FOC FM-13 declared usable |
| 2017/08/01 | Galileo FOC FM-12 declared usable |
| 2017/06/27 | Start of QZS-2 signal transmission |
| 2017/06/01 | Launch of the second QZSS satellite MICHIBIKI-2 |
| 2017/05/29 | Galileo FOC FM-07/14 declared usable |
| 2017/04/22 | Start of Galileo FOC FM-12/13 (E03/E04) signal transmission |
| 2017/03/03 | Start of Galileo FOC FM-14 (E05) signal transmission |
| 2017/03/02 | Start of Galileo FOC FM-07 (E07) signal transmission |
| 2017/01/31 | IRNSS 1A clock failures |
| 2017/01/19 | ESA: Galileo clock anomalies under investigation |
| 2016/12/15 | Galileo initial open service declaration |
| 2016/12/01 | Galileo FOC FM-10/11 declared available |
| 2016/11/17 | Launch of Galileo FOC FM-07/12/13/14 |
| 2016/10/11 | PRN switch of BeiDou IGSO 6 from C15 to C13 |
| 2016/09/23 | Release of igs08_1915.atx including updated Galileo PCOs |
| 2016/06/12 | Launch of BeiDou GEO 7 |
| 2016/05/24 | Launch of Galileo FOC FM-10/11 satellites |
| 2016/04/29 | IRNSS renamed to NAVIC |
| 2016/04/28 | Launch of IRNSS-1G GEO satellite |
| 2016/03/29 | Launch of BeiDou IGSO 6 |
| 2016/03/10 | Launch of IRNSS-1F GEO satellite |
| 2016/02/12 | MGEX status changed to Pilot Project by IGS Governing Board |
| 2016/02/01 | Launch of BeiDou M3-S |
| 2016/01/20 | Launch of IRNSS-1E IGSO satellite |
| 2015/12/17 | Launch of Galileo FOC FM-8/9 satellites |
| 2015/10/15 | New daily multi-GNSS differential code bias (DCB) product from CAS/IGG Wuhan |
| 2015/10/01 | Resumed provision of 5-constellation orbit and clock product from Wuhan University (starting 2014) |
| 2015/09/29 | Launch of second BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2015/09/11 | Launch of Galileo FOC FM-5/6 satellites |
| 2015/09/01 | Integration of MGEX stations into IGS network |
| 2015/08/05 | Release of RINEX Version 3.03 |
| 2015/07/25 | Launch of first BeiDou-3 MEO satellites |
| 2015/07/21 | New IGS antenna phase center model igs08_1854.atx with Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS and NAVIC satellites (see IGS mail 7126) |
| 2015/06/01 | QZSS added to GFZ multi-constellation orbit and clock product |
| 2015/03/30 | Launch of first BeiDou-3 IGSO satellite |
| 2015/03/28 | Launch of IRNSS-1D |
| 2015/03/27 | Launch of Galileo FOC FM-3/4 satellites |
| 2015/01/04 | Start use of ECOM2 solar radiation pressure model for CODE multi-GNSS orbit and clock product (week 1826) |
| 2014/12/31 | Start of daily uploads for GPS L2C/L5 CNAV navigation data |
| 2014/10/16 | Launch of IRNSS-1C |
| 2014/08/22 | Launch of first pair of Galileo FOC satellites. Orbit injection failure |
| 2014/07/01 | Addition of 10 new stations in Asia-Pacific region by Geoscience Australia |
| 2014/06/27 | IGS Workshop, Pasadena. Recommendation to adopt GPS-style spacecraft axis conventions (+x to Sun hemisphere) for all GNSS satellites with yaw-steering attitude control mode (Galileo, QZSS, etc.) and to initiate a RINEX 3 transition plan |
| 2014/04/28 | Start of routine CNAV transmission on GPS Block IIR-M satellites (L2C) and IIF satellites (L2C and L5) |
| 2014/04/04 | Launch of IRNSS-1B |
| 2014/03/23 | New BeiDou orbit and clock products provided by Wuhan University and GFZ (see section Products) |
| 2014/02/24 | New differential code bias (DCB) product (see section Products); updated Galileo and QZSS event lists |
| 2013/08/03 | Start of routine provision of JAXA's combined GPS+QZSS precise orbit and clock product for MGEX (see section Products) |
| 2013/08/02 | Provision of GPS L2C/L5 CNAV data set from June 2013 campaign (see sections GPS Status Page) |
| 2013/07/30 | RINEX files from 9 stations of the ESA/ESOC network are made available to the MGEX project including current and historic data (see MGEX station list) |
| 2013/07/04 | Updated information on real-time streams and products (see sections Real-Time Data and Real-Time Products) |
| 2013/07/01 | Launch of IRNSS-1; opened new section on Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) |
| 2013/05/29 | New multi-GNSS broadcast ephemeris product made available (see section Products) |
| 2013/05/29 | Various new stations have been added to the MGEX network by CNES (REGINA network), DLR (CONGO network), and GFZ as well as individual providers (see section Network). A total of 74 stations is now available, most of which offer real-time data streams in addition to offline RINEX3 data |
| 2013/03/01 | All participating institutions have now transitionend to the RINEX3 format for observation and navigation files submitted to the MGEX data archives. RINEX2 has been discontinued for MGEX purposes (but continues to be used for the operational IGS network) |
| 2012/12/17 | First release of QZSS products by JAXA (see section Products) |
| 2012/11/10 | Provision of orbit and clock products for Galileo and QZSS (see section Products) |
| 2012/11/10 | Revised interactive network map (see section Network) |
| 2012/11/10 | Draft parameters for BeiDou processing (see BeiDou page) |
| 2012/10/25 | Recommended parameters for Galileo and GIOVE processing (see Galileo page) |
| 2012/10/25 | Recommended parameters for QZSS processing (see QZSS page) |
Charter
The past decade has seen tremendous changes in the availability and diversity of satellite navigation systems on both, a regional and a global scale. Next to the legacy GNSSs GPS and GLONASS, three regional systems (QZSS, BeiDou-2, and IRNSS/NavIC) are providing operational services in the Asia-Pacific region. With BeiDou-3 and Galileo, a total of four systems are now offering services on a global scale. By now, the majority of all navigation satellites support dual-frequency open service signals for civil users that satisfy a growing interest for high precision navigation in mass-market applications.
The IGS has been mindful of this evolution and systematically built-up new capabilities in support of multi-constellation GNSS (or simply, multi-GNSS) data collection and product generation through its Multi-GNSS Working Group and the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX), which was later transitioned into the Multi-GNSS Pilot Project. Key accomplishments include the full incorporation of the initial multi-GNSS permanent ground stations into the IGS network, the harmonized provision of multi-GNSS data through the IGS data centers, and the generation of a diverse set of new multi-GNSS products by new and long-established IGS analysis centers.
The IGS defines multi-GNSS excellence as a primary goal for its new Strategic Plan. However, despite substantial progress and the efforts of numerous other Working Groups to incorporate new GNSSs into their work, it has been recognized by the IGS Governing Board that a homogenous level of support for all navigation systems has not yet been achieved.
In support of this goal, the Multi-GNSS Working Group continues to serve as a catalyst for multi-GNSS related activities within the various IGS working groups, and the IGS as a whole. As of 2020, key goals of the Multi-GNSS Working Group are:
- Conduct and supervise the Multi-GNSS Pilot Project (“MGEX”) with the near-term goal of a comprehensive integration of multi-GNSS tracking and analysis into all IGS components and activities.
- Consult and liaise with other IGS Working Groups to ensure adequate consideration of all GNSSs in standards and data formats. This includes, but is not limited to, receiver data, antenna information, biases, and conventions for precise point positioning.
- Coordinate and promote the generation of comprehensive multi-GNSS orbit and clock products, and support the build-up of a multi-GNSS orbit/clock product combination process within the IGS.
- Interact with GNSS providers and manufacturers to increase awareness of user needs in the field of precise multi-GNSS, and promote the release of relevant information and the proper support of new standards.
- Increase public awareness for multi-GNSS related work in the IGS and facilitate access to relevant information through the IGS multi-GNSS website.
Beyond the traditional high-altitude navigation satellite systems, the Multi-GNSS Working Group will also offer a platform for exploring the use of constellations in low Earth orbit for stand-alone navigation and GNSS augmentation.
[Revised Dec 2020]
Members
| Name | Affiliation | Country/Region | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyohei Akiyama | JAXA | Japan | JAX analysis center |
| Zhigou Deng | GFZ | Germany | GFZ analysis center |
| Jan Dousa | Geod. Obs. Pecny | Czech Republic | Data quality control |
| Richard Langley | UNB | Canada | Constellation status monitor |
| Huicui Liu | BACC | China | Data quality control |
| Vladimir Mitrikas | IAC | Russia | IAC analysis center |
| Oliver Montenbruck | DLR/GSOC | Germany | Chair Multi-GNSS Pilot Project |
| Felix Perosanz | CNES | France | GRG analysis center |
| Lars Prange | AIUB | Switzerland | COD analysis center |
| Shuli Song | SHAO | China | SHA analysis center |
| Tim Springer | PosiTim (@ESA/ESOC) | Germany | Selected data analyses |
| Peter Steigenberger | DLR | Germany | Broadcast ephemerides and DCB product |
| Andrea Stürze | BKG | Germany | Data quality control, real-time streams |
| Ningbo Wang | AIR/CAS | China | DCB product |
| Qile Zhao | Wuhan University | China | WUM analysis center |
Contributing to MGEX
The Multi-GNSS Pilot Project encourages contributions to its overall goals by interested institutions and individuals. New contributions may cover data, products and analyses of all global and regional navigation satellite systems, but should complement existing MGEX capabilities and avoid redundancy. Specific areas of interest include support of NAVIC, 3rd generation BeiDou satellite signals, the combination and validation of multi-GNSS orbit and clock products, the characterization of the GNSS space segment (radiation pressure modeling, antenna calibrations, etc.), and the generation of real-time multi-GNSS products. Proposals for new contributions can be coordinated through the various members of the Multi-GNSS Pilot Project.
Referencing IGS and the MGEX Project
In accord with the overall policy of the IGS, all MGEX data and products are freely available for public use. To help IGS agencies justify funding requests, we request that users include a citation when use of IGS data or products results in a publication. For MGEX-related work, please reference
- Montenbruck O., Steigenberger P., Prange L., Deng Z., Zhao Q., Perosanz F., Romero I., Noll C., Stürze A., Weber G., Schmid R., MacLeod K., Schaer, S. (2017) The Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) of the International GNSS Service (IGS) – Achievements, Prospects and Challenges, Advances in Space Research 59(7):1671-1697, DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2017.01.011
- Montenbruck O., Steigenberger P., Khachikyan R., Weber G., Langley R.B., Mervart L., Hugentobler U. (2014) IGS-MGEX: Preparing the Ground for Multi-Constellation GNSS Science, InsideGNSS 9(1):42-49
For general IGS data and products, please include a citation of
- Johnston G., Riddell A., Hausler G. (2017). The International GNSS Service. Teunissen P.J.G., & Montenbruck O. (Eds.), Springer Handbook of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (1st ed., pp. 967-982), Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-42928-1_33
For specific MGEX products, links to recommended references are provided in the products table.
Last Updated on 18 Mar 2024 07:47 UTC