Xona Space Systems is preparing to introduce its Pulsar commercial navigation and timing service into pilot testing after launching six satellites designed by the company into orbit this month aboard a SpaceX rocket. The service offers a commercial alternative to signals from government navigation systems, focusing on improving accuracy and resistance to jamming and spoofing.
Xona was founded in 2019 by five engineers who met in Stanford University’s aerospace engineering program. The company’s idea came from research by Tyler Reid, who studied in his doctoral dissertation the potential of using satellites in low Earth orbit to improve navigation. Reid currently serves as chief technology officer, while Brian Manning leads the company as chief executive officer.
What will Pulsar add?
Pulsar aims to provide positioning accuracy down to the centimeter level, compared with the accuracy that is typically at the meter level with GPS. Its signal is also designed to be detectable inside buildings and in urban environments, and Manning believes it will be strong enough to deter attempts to jam or spoof the signal.
Xona addresses one of the technical limitations through a design that allows the satellites to maintain timing without installing expensive atomic clocks in them, taking advantage of the proximity of low Earth orbit and communications with reference sources on the ground. The company has also developed its signal so it can be received by existing GPS devices after a limited software modification, lowering the adoption barrier and simplifying the regulatory path for broadcasting navigation signals.
From prototype to operational constellation
Four of the six new satellites will be similar to a prototype the company launched last year that demonstrated the technology, and were built around a platform from Aerospace Labs. The other two satellites were designed entirely by Xona at its headquarters in Burlingame, California, and are intended to form the foundation of the operational Pulsar constellation, which will comprise 258 satellites.
After the satellites enter orbit and pass over the mid-latitudes about eight times a day, the company will be able to begin pilot testing with actual customers. Ian Gough, chief executive officer of electronic timing company TimeBeat, said the first phase will allow his company’s engineers to examine and correct the timing provided by its devices around the world. Xona hopes to provide full coverage of the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea by 2028.
Why does this matter?
Pulsar does not directly replace the government’s GPS network; instead, it adds a high-precision commercial layer that can benefit devices requiring more accurate positioning and timing or stronger signals in challenging environments. This includes agricultural robots and autonomous vehicles, as well as electronic timing systems.
Xona has raised slightly more than $300 million from investors since its founding, including $20 million from the U.S. Space Force. This government funding indicates interest in a technology that could help reduce the impact of jamming and spoofing, two growing risks to satellite navigation services. However, the success of the commercial model will remain tied to the regularity of coverage, the cost of receivers or modifying them, and the service’s actual ability to deliver on its promises of accuracy and resistance under different operating conditions.