Move over, GPS: Navigation satellites in low-Earth orbit are making a comeback

California startup Xona Space Systems is building a GPS replacement. Ars Technica reports that the company's Pulsar satellites in low-Earth orbit will transmit signals a hundred times stronger than traditional GPS, enabling precise position fixes indoors, under dense foliage, and in urban areas where conventional systems can't reach. The first six production satellites are set to launch in October, with early service beginning in 2027. Once the full constellation of 258 satellites is deployed, Xona claims centimeter-level accuracy anywhere on Earth. The stronger signals should also resist the growing problem of GPS jamming that increasingly disrupts commercial aviation, maritime shipping, and smartphone navigation.

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