Spirent and Qascom Collaborate to Offer World’s First Commercially Available OSNMA Simulation Tools

PAIGNTON, UK – September 22, 2021– Spirent Communications plc (LSE:SPT), the world leader in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) testing and assurance solutions, and Qascom, leaders in GNSS security solutions, today announced the industry’s first simulation test solution for the Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) mechanism. SimOSNMA is designed to work with Spirent’s market leading GNSS simulation platforms to test OSNMA signal conformance, which will bring new levels of robustness for both civilian and commercial GNSS uses.

SimOSNMA provides developers with vital new simulation tools to test for OSNMA, the security protocol which enables GNSS receivers to verify the authenticity of signals distributed from the Galileo satellite constellation. Designed to combat signal falsification or “spoofing”, OSNMA ensures the data received is authentic and has not been modified in any way. It is currently completing the test phase before its formal launch, and SimOSNMA enables developers to simulate and test OSNMA signals and features, allowing GNSS receiver manufacturers and application developers to accelerate and assure development programs.

A leader in GNSS resilience, Qascom has been a significant contributor to the development of Galileo OSNMA, helping to create the main test vectors for early testing and leading the Position Authenticated Tachograph for OSNMA Launch (PATROL) project, which is the European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) procurement looking at the implementation of OSNMA into automotive and mass-market GNSS receivers. The combination of Qascom and Spirent expertise will provide developers with a head start in adopting and leveraging the new OSNMA capabilities.

“During the development of the first OSNMA receiver prototype, we needed a tool that would allow us to run tests in a controlled and repeatable environment, generate reference data, test corner cases and system events that seldomly occur in reality,” said Head of Security Engineering Domain Area at Qascom, Carlo Sarto. “SimOSNMA will allow industries and agencies to speed up the development and qualification of their systems.”

Managing Director of Spirent’s Positioning business, Martin Foulger said “For the past 35 years, Spirent has been committed to providing customers with the very best testing tools to help them accelerate their programs and assure their developments. We’re delighted continue our work with fellow industry leaders Qascom to once more lead the way, with our OSNMA Testing ICD v1.1 solution being the latest market-first for our Spirent GSS simulation platforms.” 

Since the inception of the Galileo project, Spirent has provided crucial simulation and test capabilities to many of the key organizations and projects responsible for development of the European Space Agency (ESA) program.

SimOSNMA is available now for Spirent GSS7000 and GSS9000 platforms and for more information about the extensive capabilities of Spirent’s PNT test and assurance solutions, visit www.spirent.com/products/positioning-navigation-timing-testing.