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Move over, GPS: Navigation satellites in low-Earth orbit are making a comeback

Xona Space Systems is launching a new constellation of low-Earth orbit navigation satellites designed to provide signals 100 times stronger than traditional GPS, significantly improving accuracy in urban, indoor, and jammed environments. With the first production satellites scheduled for launch in October 2026, the full network aims to deliver centimeter-level precision globally by countering widespread signal interference and spoofing threats.

Background

Traditional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) like GPS operate in Medium Earth Orbit, where signals weaken significantly by the time they reach the ground, making them vulnerable to jamming and unable to penetrate dense structures. Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations offer closer proximity to users, resulting in much stronger signal reception.

Source
Ars Technica
Published
Jul 16, 2026 at 07:00 PM
Score
8.0 / 10