Xona Secures $4.65M Contract with AFRL to Demonstrate Capabilities of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) GPS Alternative in Commercial User Equipment

Partners including StarNav, Locus Lock and QinetiQ will test and analyze capabilities such as jamming resiliency, increased security, and urban advantages

BURLINGAME, Calif., Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Xona Space Systems (Xona), the company developing a high-performance complementary alternative to GPS, announced today that it has secured a contract with Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to demonstrate and mature resilient commercial PNT (Positioning, Navigation and Timing) solutions for DoD missions. This award, granted through the Space Technology Advanced Research – Fast-tracking Innovative Software and Hardware (STAR-FISH) program, brings Xona's total signed contracts to over $20 million to date.

Through this contract, Xona will demonstrate key performance aspects of its PULSAR™ high-performance satellite navigation service on multiple commercial user devices and in a variety of scenarios, including where GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Signals (GNSS) may be challenged or denied. Testing will include demonstrations of jamming and spoofing resilience, multipath effect reduction, and security key distribution. This effort will accelerate the readiness of advanced alt-PNT capabilities in commercial off-the-shelf user equipment to meet DoD user needs with rapid acquisition times.

As part of this contract Xona has partnered with several leading GPS/GNSS user equipment providers with the ability to rapidly manufacture and deploy PULSAR enabled devices. Partners who will be demonstrating performance of their devices with the PULSAR service as part of this contract include QinetiQ, StarNav, and Locus Lock.

"The technology in modern GNSS user equipment is incredibly advanced these days, and capable of very high-performance if you can provide it a high-performance signal," said Brian Manning, Xona CEO & Co-Founder. "This contract is enabling us to demonstrate not only the advanced capabilities these receivers can achieve with the PULSAR service, but also the utility of combining mass produced hardware with a securely controlled PNT service to support anything from small drones to large DoD systems."

This multi-year award will feature Xona's advanced simulation capabilities along with demonstrations using the first PULSAR satellite that is scheduled to launch in June 2025.

About Xona Space Systems

Xona Space Systems is developing the most accurate and secure commercial satellite navigation service on the planet. Delivered via high-power signals that provide 20x more accuracy with unmatched protection, Xona's patented PULSAR™ service is built on an innovative architecture that will power the next generation of GPS-enabled technology worldwide. Xona is backed by Toyota Ventures, Future Ventures, NGP Capital and Lockheed Martin. Learn more at www.xonaspace.com or connect with us via LinkedIn, or X @XonaSpace.

About AFRL 

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com. 

About QinetiQ

QinetiQ is an integrated global defence and security company focused on mission-led innovation. It employs more than 8,500 highly-skilled people, committed to creating new ways of protecting what matters most; testing technologies, systems, and processes to make sure they meet operational needs; and enabling customers to deploy new and enhanced capabilities with the assurance they will deliver the performance required. www.QinetiQ.com.

About Locus Lock

Locus Lock specializes in developing advanced software-defined GNSS receiver technology. Locus Lock's technology provides accurate, reliable, and secure PNT in a market that increasingly demands cost-effective solutions. For more information, visit: https://locuslock.com/ 

About StarNav

StarNav produces receivers enabling safe, reliable positioning and timing. StarNav's products convert terrestrial and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signals into reliable positioning and timing information, working even when GPS fails. StarNav's core product is a multi-frequency multi-source receiver that can be configured to use both GNSS and non-GNSS signals. Learn more at www.starnav.io or follow StarNav on LinkedIn @StarNav. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Contact:
Janel Steinberg
310-994-9818
[email protected]

SOURCE Xona Space Systems