To meet increasing demands for greater accuracy and performance, the Spirent GSS9000 Multi-Frequency, Multi-GNSS RF Constellation Simulator sets a new standard of excellence in GNSS RF Simulation for R&D and performance test.

The GSS9000 produces a comprehensive range of emulated multi-GNSS, multi-frequency RF signals with ultimate class-leading flexibility, coherence, fidelity, performance, accuracy and reliability.

The GSS9000 provides numerous benefits to all those working in high-end GNSS technology and application development. This includes comprehensive and feature-rich simulation and full control of all aspects of the GNSS operating environment, inherent repeatability and the ability to apply systematic errors and incidents that are impossible to realize using actual satellite signals.

In summary, it offers:

• Supreme Performance—improving on the existing world-leading solution from Spirent
• Ultimate Flexibility—to adapt use precisely to meet all testing needs
• The most Comprehensive Capabilities—available in any GNSS test solution

A GSS9000 system comprises a Spirent C50r Host running Spirent’s powerful simulation software SimGEN and a highly configurable RF signal generator able to meet all test needs.

Multiple chassis can be combined to form an integrated, coherent signal generator if more signals or outputs are required. A comprehensive range of system extensions allows users to tailor the system to their specific needs, today and in the future.

The GSS9000 supports an extensive range of constellation configurations, from GPS L1 through to multi-GNSS, multi-frequency systems including classified/restricted signals.

Configurations are available that support multi-antennas and multi-vehicles, for example: Differential-GNSS, attitude determination, interference/jamming and spoofing and Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) testing.

The GSS9000 generates all carriers, ranging codes and data streams for the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou GNSS systems, plus SBAS, QZSS, IRNSS and CAPS regional/augmentation systems. Additionally, data/messages for RTCM differential, GBAS/LAAS and A-GNSS are provided.

Supreme Performance

At the cutting-edge of GNSS R&D testing, high performance isn’t just desirable—it’s essential. For example, to test the true performance of a GNSS receiver under high dynamic motion, a high Simulation Iteration Rate (SIR), low latency, low phase noise and high pseudorange accuracy are essential.

Some of the GSS9000’s key performance attributes are:

• Class-leading 1000Hz Simulation Iteration Rate (SIR) and Hardware Update Rate (HUR) enabling real-time remote control and trajectory delivery with extremely low latency and simulation of non-interpolated, ultra-high dynamic motion
• Phase noise, less than 0.005 Rad RMS
• 160 channels plus 640 embedded multipath channels across 10 independent frequencies in one chassis
• 0.1dB power resolution over a 60dB range
• 0.3mm RMS Pseudorange Accuracy
• Extremely high 6-DOF motion dynamics:

120,000 m/s Relative Velocity

192,600 m/s2 Relative Acceleration 

 890,400 m/s3 Relative Jerk

• Data streaming of all simulation data at 1000Hz
• Highly flexible configurations selectable via a ‘cabinet’ of licence keys
• Complete portability of Spirent SimGEN scenarios
• In-field upgradeability of principal GNSS functionality and capability
• On-the-fly reconfiguration of constellation and signal configurations
• Fully future-proofed for all known advances in GNSS technology

The extensibility and flexibility of the GSS9000 allows a very large number of possible configurations, made possible by three key functions of the system

• RF channel banks, with 4, 8, 12, or 16 channels per bank
• A ‘cabinet’ of license feature keys to determine which GNSS signals can be simulated
• A software license to determine specific features

Increasingly, GNSS receivers and sensors do not operate in isolation. If development and verification testing of integrated systems is required then it is essential that other sensors are emulated and other signals are reproduced coherent with the GNSS signals.

The GSS9000 has been designed to operate with all of Spirent’s extensive range of options and system extensions. For example, inertial sensors can be emulated by SimINERTIAL. Wheel tick sensors and VSS signals are reproduced by SimAUTO. Noise and channel interference can be reproduced by the GSS7765. Spoofing vulnerability and resilience can be tested with Spirent’s SimSAFE.

SimINERTIAL*

Operational performance of an Integrated GPS/Inertial (IGI) system can be established in the laboratory using real-time emulation of the inertial sensor outputs along with a GSS9000 constellation simulator. All signals are coherently generated to exactly match the simulated vehicle trajectory. Typical inertial sensor performance can be represented by a sensor error model driven by the simulated motion, with appropriate coefficients entered by the user.

SimMCODE*

The GSS9000 series supports AES M-Code testing with SimMCODE and server-based Non-AES M-Code testing via an extension to SimMCODE.

SimCLASS/SimSAAS (USA)*

Provides SA/A-S simulation for testing of SAASM equipment with Y code.

*Available to authorised users only (applies to some SimINTERIAL variants)

SimAUTO

SimAUTO provides a turnkey solution to testing integrated vehicle navigation systems comprising GPS and Dead Reckoning (DR) sensors such as gyros or wheel ticks. SimAUTO allows parameters such as vehicle geometry and odometer pulse rate to be set and saved to a vehicle personality file for future use.

GSS7765

The GSS7765 offers a very broad range of interfering signal options, which may be used to represent a varied array of threat sources. The GSS7765 also supports noise generation with variable bandwidth and can be configured to support up to 4 fully independent interference sources.

SimREMOTE real-time control and motion API

SimREMOTE is an extremely powerful control and trajectory data interface with the following features:

• Comprehensive API for real-time 1000Hz remote control and trajectory delivery
• Real time, high-rate data streaming aids analysis
• Real-time, zero-effective latency hardware in the loop (HWIL) testing with no need for data interpolation
• Extensive commands for precision manipulation of signal parameters such as carrier and code phase & amplitude, allowing simulation of complex signal perturbations such as those caused by multipath and ionospheric scintillation

SimSAFE

The vulnerability of GNSS to spoofing attacks is a key consideration across many GNSS applications. SimSAFE is used with the GSS9000 to evaluate the vulnerability of a receiver under test to deliberate “spoofing” or “meaconing” attacks and to assess the effectiveness of mitigation techniques and strategies. SimSAFE can be used in R&D applications and in certification or vendor selection applications

Flexibility and Connectivity

The GSS9000 is designed for the real-world testing environment with a wide range of interfaces both analogue and digital. Low level RF outputs are supplemented by high level RF inputs and outputs for monitoring and signal injection purposes; a range of digital interfaces include IEEE-488, Ethernet, SCRAMNet+ and SCRAMNet GT; extensive timing, trigger and control access.

*Available to authorized users