Starfire, Description, Infrastructure – NavCom SF-3050 Rev.I User Manual
Page 148
SF-3050 GNSS Product User Guide
– Rev I
C-129
C ......................................................................................... StarFire
Description
The StarFire Network is a global system for the distribution of SBAS corrections giving
the user the ability to measure their position anywhere in the world with exceptional
reliability and unprecedented accuracy of better than 5cm (2 inches). Because the SBAS
corrections are broadcast via INMARSAT geo-stationary satellites, the user needs no
local reference stations or post-processing to get this exceptional accuracy. Furthermore,
the same accuracy is available virtually anywhere on the earth's surface on land or sea
from a 10 degree look angle, due to the worldwide coverage of these geo-stationary
satellites.
Infrastructure
The system utilizes the GPS satellite system, L-Band communication satellites, and a
worldwide network of reference stations, to deliver real-time high-precision positioning.
To provide this unique service, NavCom has built a global network of dual-frequency
reference stations, which constantly receive signals from the GPS satellites as they orbit
the earth. Data from these reference stations is fed to two USA processing centers, in
Torrance, California and Moline, Illinois, where they are processed to generate the
differential corrections.
From the two processing centers, the correction data is fed via redundant and
independent communication links to satellite uplink stations at Laurentides, Canada;
Perth, Australia; Burum, The Netherlands; Santa Paula, California; Auckland, New
Zealand; and Southbury, Connecticut for rebroadcast via the geo-stationary satellites.
The key to the accuracy and convenience of the StarFire system is the source of SBAS
corrections. GPS satellites transmit navigation data on several L-Band frequencies. The
StarFire reference stations are all equipped with geodetic-quality, multi-frequency
receivers. These reference receivers decode GPS signals and send precise, high quality,