Live orbital demonstration validates C-band GNSS hardware, accelerating the path to resilient, GPS-independent PNT

TrustPoint, the world leader in C-band GNSS, building the most advanced satellite navigation system in low earth orbit, today announced that Calian has successfully demonstrated the industry’s first commercially manufacturable C-band GNSS antenna against TrustPoint’s live orbital signal.

Through multiple live-signal tests, the antenna reliably acquired and maintained reception of TrustPoint’s C-band broadcast from orbit, marking a significant milestone in the development of the ecosystem for resilient, GPS-independent Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT).

Calian brings decades of experience supporting defense, space, satellite communications and GNSS programs worldwide, delivering mission-critical technologies across national security, aerospace and commercial markets. The successful demonstration represents more than an antenna milestone. It is another step toward building a resilient and scalable PNT ecosystem capable of supporting users when GPS availability cannot be assumed.

As operators increasingly face contested and GPS-challenged environments, TrustPoint’s C-band architecture offers a powerful complement to traditional GNSS. Operating in a less congested frequency band, C-band signals provide inherent resistance to jamming, support smaller antennas, reduce ionospheric error and improve availability in urban environments. These advantages make C-band particularly attractive for defense applications, autonomous systems and critical infrastructure operators that require dependable navigation and timing under challenging conditions.

By combining TrustPoint’s next-generation C-band signal architecture with commercially scalable hardware developed by industry leaders like Calian, the industry moves closer to delivering operationally relevant navigation capabilities designed for contested and denied environments. The successful test campaign demonstrates a direct path toward deploying resilient PNT at scale using commercially manufacturable hardware.

“Calian has spent years building antennas the GNSS industry already trusts. Now they’ve built one for C-band, and we validated it against a live signal in orbit,” said Anil Goparaju, Head of Product at TrustPoint. “What’s exciting is how quickly the ecosystem around TrustPoint’s signal is taking shape. Every product partner that integrates and validates against our signal expands the set of real-world options available to customers and moves resilient, GPS-independent PNT closer to broad deployment.”

“For decades, Calian has supported defense, space and commercial customers with mission-critical antenna and RF technologies operating in some of the world’s most demanding environments,” said Christopher Russell, Vice President of Global Sales & Growth at Calian. “Extending that expertise to C-band was a natural next step. This achievement demonstrates not only the adaptability of our antenna portfolio, but also our commitment to advancing the next generation of resilient LEO PNT capabilities that customers can trust when performance matters most.”

The antenna demonstration is one of several initiatives underway as part of TrustPoint’s broader partnership with Calian. The companies are also collaborating on development of a multi-band antenna capable of receiving L1/L5 and C-band signals, expanding the range of hardware options available to commercial and defense users seeking resilient access to TrustPoint’s navigation services.

The milestone also builds on TrustPoint’s successful demonstration of C-band positioning on NovAtel receivers in GPS-denied environments, further expanding the growing ecosystem of hardware capable of supporting resilient navigation. Together, these advancements reinforce continued momentum toward operational deployment of GPS-independent PNT solutions.

The next phase represents a major step toward operational deployment. Under a Tactical Funding Increase contract with the U.S. Space Force, TrustPoint is establishing a full end-to-end PNT system consisting of four satellites and four ground stations, with live trilateration and initial operational services targeted within 12 months. This deployment will mark a significant advancement toward delivering a modern, commercially scalable complement to legacy GNSS infrastructure.

“C-band has already proven its value across numerous industries and applications. It was only a matter of time before PNT caught on,” said Patrick Shannon, Founder and CEO of TrustPoint. “We anticipate a future where C-band GNSS is integrated into every device, ultimately defining tomorrow’s automated world by bringing true resilience to navigation and timing.”