Getting to your destination has never been easier, thanks to a number of popular global positioning systems (GPS) -based navigation apps available for download on smart devices. In fact, using these apps has become second nature to many drivers; according to the website The Pew Research Center, 67% of smartphone owners use their phone at least occasionally…
Snapshot: S&T Testing Smart Sensor to Enhance Emergency Communications
First responders run toward danger; their jobs require it. From rushing into burning buildings to descending far underground, first responders selflessly put themselves at risk to save those in need. Often, their only connection to the outside world during these rescue missions is their colleagues at the command centers who coordinate the rescue effort. They…
S&T Launches Polar Scout Satellites Using SpaceX Falcon 9 Vehicle
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) launched two miniature cube-shaped satellites (CubeSats) into space on December 3, 2018, via the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Named Yukon and Kodiak, the CubeSats, which are approximately the size of a shoebox, neatly squeezed into a 20-ft. payload stack with 62 other small satellites (SmallSats), and…
S&T Is Working to Address GPS Vulnerabilities, Improving Critical Infrastructure Resilience
The critical infrastructure sectors rely on accurate position, navigation, and timing (PNT) to function. Currently, the global positioning system (GPS) is the primary source of distributed and accurate timing information. However, GPS’s space-based signals are low-power and unencrypted, making them susceptible to both intentional and unintentional disruption. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology…