The College of Engineering and Computing's Rapid Prototyping Research Center (RPRC) is leveraging its research and engineering talent by developing a nationwide capability to help move the country from over-reliance on the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system to a fully redundant resilient positioning, navigation and timing capability that enables unimpeded operations with and without GPS. The initial focus is on time because all computing devices require accurate time to work. The capability provides resilient time to critical infrastructures to prevent disruptions to public services Americans depend upon. The RPRC is currently focusing on completing the operational prototype.
The government lead for the effort, known as the Nationwide Integration of Time Resiliency for Operations (NITRO), is the National Guard in coordination with Homeland Security Advisors and Emergency Managers across the states and territories. NITRO addresses 11 domestic timing infrastructure gaps and includes a common operating picture to provide the National Guard and civil authorities with real-time visibility of the domestic timing infrastructure to inform decision-making. NITRO does not require new signals or waveforms, nor does NITRO require any changes to end-user equipment. NITRO is already used by seven states supporting 256 state, local, tribal, and territory agencies providing services to 30.2M Americans.
NITRO automatically provides accurate data from GPS and other approved government and commercial space and terrestrial-based systems and maintains synchronized of accurate time across supported states, territories, and U.S. critical infrastructure. NITRO resilient timing will be deployed to assure states, territories, and critical infrastructures in the event of catastrophic loss of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) services, enabling their state and territory military and disaster operations responsibilities.
NITRO helps execute long-standing presidential policy and orders, as well as the recently released National Cybersecurity Implementation Plan. It also meets congressional mandates for backups and alternatives to GPS timing. States’ National Guard adjutants general, homeland security advisors, and emergency managers coordinate across the federal government, especially with the Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Commerce, and Energy.