Space GNSS Receivers and GNSS Reflectometry Instruments
SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology)
SSTL offers highly regarded Space GNSS receivers for satellite navigation and position, velocity, and time information, alongside pioneering GNSS Reflectometry instruments for Earth observation.
Typed specifications50 values
Discloses 9 of 12 fields engineers filter by in this category (category median 5).
- Mass
- 90 g datasheet p.2
- Position accuracy
- 5 m typical, under defined 680 km polar orbit, Earth pointing con… · datasheet p.2 5 m Under defined 680km polar orbit, Earth pointing conditions
- Envelope (L×W×H)
- 92 x 87 x 12 datasheet p.2
- Time to first fix, cold start
- 90 s NVRAM, Under defined 680km polar orbit, Earth pointing condit… · datasheet p.2 90 s max · TTFF (NVRAM)
- Tracking channels
- 24 datasheet p.2 24 24 L1/G1/E1 channels
- Constellations
- GPS L1 C/A Code, GLONASS G1 (option), Galileo E1 (option) datasheet p.2 GPS GPS L1 C/A Code | GLONASS option | GLONASS | Galileo option +1
- Supply voltage
- 3.3 V nom. · 3V3 spacecraft bus · datasheet p.2 3.3–5 V | 5 V nom. · 5V spacecraft bus | 5 V nom.
- Power consumption
- 0.5 W max · at 5V · datasheet p.2 0.4 W max · lower power mode, 12 channel operation, at 3V3 | 0.4 W max · optional lower power mode, 12 channel operation at 3V3 | 0.5 W max · power at 5V
- Data interface
- UART datasheet p.2 CAN TM/TC interface | UART TTL UART, TM/TC interface | CAN | I2C TM/TC interface +1
- Operating temperature
- -20–50 °C datasheet p.2 -20–50 °C operating
- Radiation tolerance (TID)
- 5 krad core components · datasheet p.2 10 krad core components tested to 10 krads | 5 krad min · >5 kRad (Si)
- Operating regime
- LEO delivers position, velocity and time to Low Earth orbit satel… · datasheet p.1
- Signals and bands
- E1 Galileo (option) · datasheet p.1 E1 Galileo E1, option | G1 GLONASS (option) | G1 GLONASS G1, option | L1 GPS L1 C/A Code +1
- Velocity accuracy
- 0.1 m/s typical velocity 10 cm/s, under defined 680 km polar orbit, E… · datasheet p.2 0.1 m/s Under defined 680km polar orbit, Earth pointing conditions
- Survival temperature
- -30–85 °C non-operating · datasheet p.2
- Flight heritage
- Due for launch on two CubeSats in 2019; Derived from SGR-Axio and SGR-ReSI with extensive flight heritage datasheet p.2
- Satellite class
- CubeSat CubeSat PC-104 standard footprint, CubeSat-ready antenna options · datasheet p.1
- PPS output
- yes PPS outputs TTL · datasheet p.2
- Antenna included
- no datasheet p.2
- Timing accuracy (PPS)
- 100 ns Time (UTC), under defined 680 km polar orbit · datasheet p.2
- Board format
- PC/104 CubeSat PC-104 standard footprint · datasheet p.1
- Antenna inputs
- 2 1 to 2 active or passive antennas · datasheet p.2
Each value is typed with its unit and measurement condition and cites the datasheet page it was taken from. Nothing is guessed: a field that is absent here has not been published by the manufacturer. machine-extracted ✓ checked by NewSpace Market ✓ manufacturer confirmed by the manufacturer.
As published by the supplier15 lines, in the manufacturer's own wording
- Dimensions
- 92 x 87 x 12 mm
- Power at 5v
- <0.5 W
- Mass
- 90 g
- Radiation
- >5 kRad (Si), core components tested to 10 krad
- Operating temperature
- -20 to +50 degC
- Non-operating temperature
- -30 to +85 degC
- Number of channels
- 24
- Number of antennas
- 1-2
- Frequencies/signals
- GPS L1 C/A Code; GLONASS G1 (option); Galileo E1 (option)
- Typical position accuracy
- 5 m
- Typical velocity accuracy
- 10 cm/s
- Ttff (NVRAM)
- <90 s
- Time accuracy (UTC)
- 100 ns
- Tm/tc interfaces
- TTL UART, CAN, I2C
- Low power mode
- 12 channel operation <0.4 W at 3V3
About
SSTL has a significant heritage in space navigation, having developed and delivered the first operational payload for Galileo as part of the GIOVE-A mission in 2005, and subsequently supplied 34 navigation payloads for Galileo between 2010 and 2020. These payloads utilize European-sourced atomic clocks, signal generators, high-power TWTAs, and antennas. SSTL’s Space GNSS receivers (SGRs) are known for their quality and robustness, flying on most of SSTL’s own satellites and many other spacecraft. They routinely provide position, velocity, and time information to satellites in low Earth orbit, with over 70 orbiting satellites having used SSTL’s receivers and antennas on missions for UKSA, ESA, NASA, USAF, JAXA, RemoveDEBRIS, and the International Space Station. These receivers are based on COTS components, incorporating radiation mitigation and quality processes suitable for small satellite applications.
SSTL has also pioneered GNSS Reflectometry (GNSS-R), an Earth observation technique that uses GNSS signals as L-Band radar sources. This allows satellites to measure ocean wind speeds, polar ice, and hydrological land parameters with higher spatial resolution and significantly lower cost compared to other methods. Successful GNSS-R payloads have been flown on TechDemoSat-1, DoT-1, and the NASA CYGNSS constellation. SSTL continues to develop this technology and data analysis for new scientific applications. Data from SSTL’s GNSS-R instruments on the CYGNSS mission have demonstrated potential for soil moisture measurement, and preliminary work indicates good sensitivity for Freeze-Thaw sensing in permafrost’s active zone, which is crucial for monitoring methane release and climate change. GNSS-R can also assess biomass, a measure of forest density vital for carbon dioxide removal. Beyond long-term climate observations, soil moisture and inundation measurements from GNSS Reflectometry provide important information for short-term operational purposes, such as Numerical Weather Prediction and flood warnings. SSTL has been awarded an ESA Scout Mission contract for HydroGNSS, a 55kg small satellite mission designed to measure climate change variables using advanced GNSS Reflectometry techniques, including Galileo signals, dual polarization, and coherent signal acquisition, to measure four Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) over land: Soil Moisture, inundation, permafrost freeze/thaw, and biomass.
Documentation
Need the full ICD, test reports or a specific revision? Ask the supplier directly.