From the ASGARD project we are working very intensively to continue developing a new maritime advanced receiver capable of bringing the latest Galileo technology to this sector. However, we not only want to develop the receiver, but we also aspire to make the whole community aware of the advantages that this project can bring. We believe that it is very important that all stakeholders know not only that the receiver is being developed, but also that they understand how it can improve maritime navigation.
One of the main features of the receiver we are developing is the inclusion of Galileo’s OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) functionality. This is a capability, included in the open Galileo service, to authenticate the Navigation message and confirm that it is generated by the Galileo system and has not been modified by any other source.
Currently, it is a reality that many spoofing attacks (in which a malicious signal is sent that tries to pass it off as a genuine GNSS signal) are reported which imply a serious problem for the safety of maritime navigation. Although they are intensified in war zones, these types of attacks are found all over the world and any equipment that uses GNSS receivers can be affected. OSNMA functionality is an added cybersecurity measure against some spoofing attacks. In this way, users can be alerted if it is detected that they may be under attack and act accordingly.
Some representatives of the ASGARD project took the opportunity to attend the IALA ENG16 committee in Autumn 2022 to convey the message of the importance of including OSNMA in maritime receivers. A hundred people participated during the IALA event, both physically at its headquarters in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and online from different countries around the world.
Among other activities, from ASGARD we made a presentation with all the interested stakeholders and exchange opinions with them to better understand the needs of the different types of users. Without a doubt, we believe that it was very enriching to be able to exchange opinions and we used all the feedback we obtained to continue improving.
From the project we continue working to achieve our goal of improving maritime navigation through the development of a new multi-constellation and multi-frequency advanced receiver. If you want to see the presentation we made during the event you can download it at this link: ASGARD Presentation at IALA ENG16
