F/NAV message

F/NAV messages are used within the Open Service (OS) and they are transmitted in E5a frequency band (1176.45 Mhz). The complete navigation message data are transmitted as a sequence of frames. A frame is composed of several sub-frames, and a sub-frame is composed of several pages. The page is the basic structure for building the navigation message.F/NAV navigation message is transmitted on channel E5a at a rate of 25 bps. Read more…

Galileo Navigation Message

The Galileo satellites transmit different message types: F/NAV type correspond to the Open Service (OS),  I/NAV message correspond to the Safety of Life (SoL) and C/NAV to Comercial Service (CS).

The navigation message data are transmitted on each data component as a sequence of frames. A frame is composed of several sub-frames, and a sub-frame in turn is composed of several pages. Being this last one the basic structure for building the navigation message. Read more…

Galileo Atomic Clocks

An atomic clock works like a conventional clock but the time-base of the clock, instead of being an oscillating mass as in a pendulum clock, is based on the properties of atoms when transitioning between different energy states.

When an atom is excited by an external energy source, it goes to a higher energy state. Then, from this state, it goes to a lower energy state. In this transition, the atom releases energy at a very precise frequency which is characteristic of the type of atom. Read more…