Joint Precision Approach and Landing System: JPALS

The Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) is a key component enabling U.S. military forces to be highly mobile and capable of "rapid response" on a global basis to a wide range of military scenarios. Similar in concept to the civilian Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), JPALS will be based on differential Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, and will consist of modular avionics and ground/shipboard components to provide a range of landing minima and system configurations. Aircraft will receive ranging and navigation data from the satellite constellation and differential ranging data or corrections from a ground/shipboard station via a data link. JPALS must remain operational throughout a range of threat environments, and with performance requirements tailored to supporting a highly mobile force at all locations, including an austere forward operating area worldwide.

Stanford University is leading a multi-disciplinary, multi-university team (which includes The Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities) in support of United States Navy and Air Force JPALS system definition and trade studies. Stanford's contribution is primarily in the following three areas:

• JPALS System Integrity Monitoring
• JPALS System Architectural Definition
• Extending existing receiver, antenna, and processing technologies to meet JPALS requirements

RESEARCHERS

SUMMARY

The Aeronautics and Astronautics Department at Stanford University is internationally recognized for academic and research excellence, and the GPS Laboratory plays an increasingly important role in developing and demonstrating new capabilities for space-based navigational systems. In addition to fundamental advances in positioning and navigation technologies, the Lab plays a critical role in the operational readiness of the Wide Area and Local Area Augmentation Systems (WAAS and LAAS). The GPS Lab includes recipients of the Charles Stark Draper Prize (2003), the Johannes Kepler Award (1991 and 2000), and the Thurlow Award (1986 and 1996). For further information on Stanford University’s GPS Laboratory, please contact Prof. Per Enge; for information on JPALS research, please contact Dr. Jennifer Gautier.

PRIMARY COOPERATING GROUPS

University of Minnesota: Prof. Demoz Gebre-Egziabher

Navigation and Guidance  Laboratory at Illinois Institute of Technology: Prof. Boris Pervan

ARINC : Bruce Peterson and Fred Ventrone

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