Xona satellite begins tests for commercial LEO navigation

Xona Space Systems’ Pulsar-0 satellite, the company’s first production-class asset for a commercial navigation constellation, is now operational and undergoing in-orbit testing. Launched in March 2024 on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission, Pulsar-0 is designed to assess the performance of Xona’s Pulsar architecture, which aims to provide high-accuracy, resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services from low-Earth orbit (LEO).

According to Xona, Pulsar-0 is transmitting LEO-based PNT signals using a payload built to support signal authentication and increased resilience against interference — capabilities that have become more important as concerns about vulnerabilities in traditional GNSS systems grow. The system’s encrypted and authenticated signals are intended to mitigate risks from jamming and spoofing, and deliver stronger, more reliable service in environments where legacy GPS may be degraded.

Xona’s Pulsar constellation is being developed as a commercial complement to GNSS, offering centimeter-level accuracy and greater resistance to interference through modernized signal design and LEO deployment. The company reports that its initial signal waveforms are already being used by select government and commercial partners for prototyping and validation.

Pulsar-0’s technical objectives include:

• High-precision GNSS corrections: Real-time correction data from LEO, targeting position accuracy within 10 cm.
• Signal authentication: Cryptographically verifiable signals to reduce the risk of spoofing.
• Jamming resistance: A signal strength up to 100 times greater than GPS, enhancing reliability in contested or congested radio frequency environments.
• Stronger signals: Stronger signals designed to perform in obstructed locations, such as indoors or in dense urban areas.

The Pulsar-0 mission is primarily focused on validating Xona’s core technology and enabling live sky testing with early partners, paving the way for future launches and eventual commercial operations. The company aims to launch a constellation of hundreds of satellites to provide persistent, redundant PNT coverage for sectors including defense, logistics, mining and autonomous systems.

Further details on Pulsar-0’s performance are expected as data collection and testing continue throughout the year.