The Starlink global Internet system can be used as a replacement for the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), reports Ohio State University, referring to a study aimed at publication in the journal IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.
Experts have created algorithms that, using open data on the location and movement of Starlink spacecraft, allowed determining the coordinates of a ground object equipped with a receiving antenna with an accuracy of up to 7.7 meters. It is noted that " GPS usually determines the location of the device within the range of 0.3 to 5 meters."
"Although Starlink was not developed for navigation purposes, we have shown that it is possible to study the parts of the system well enough to use it for navigation," said Zach Kassas, director of the Center for Research on Automatic Vehicles with Multimodal Navigation.
The specialist is confident that an increase in the number of Starlink spacecraft will increase the achieved accuracy. In his opinion, the use of such satellites can become an alternative to traditional navigation systems, which may be safer, in particular, for military applications.
Kassas noted that Starlink spacecraft are located much closer to the Earth's surface than GPS satellites, because the signal from the first is stronger than from the second, and, as a result, is less susceptible to spoofing. The specialist stressed that the use of Starlink for navigation does not allow "listening" to what is "transmitted via satellites".
In September, the publication Teslarati admitted that the Starlink system will become self-supporting with the number of users in several million.
In September 2020, Vedomosti wrote that the atmosphere worsens the signal from the spacecraft at least twice, so the real accuracy of GLONASS "in the open air in an open field" is about 2.5 meters, and in "urban conditions" — 5-10 meters.
Ivan Potapov
