The National Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) Data Center, established by the Government of Thailand, will gather high-precision positioning data, including satellite signals, to serve as a fundamental infrastructure for the nation. The centre is responsible for providing high-precision, standardized coordinate data services to government agencies, the private sector, and the general public.
Prerequisites:
• Identify potential users of the centre
• Technical Infrastructure (Servers and Storage, Network, GNSS Receivers)
• Technical expertise for system integration and operations
• Partnerships with GNSS providers and technical vendors
• Secure site with reliable power and communications infrastructure
• Cybersecurity, data protection, and continuity planning
• Spectrum policy & coordination with telecom regulator; ITU procedures where applicable
• Legal/regulatory framework for managing and sharing PNT data
Cost:
• Ballpark: USD 2–10M + USD 0.3–1M/yr (OPEX)
• Includes: facility setup (civil works, secure data centre environment), hardware procurement (servers, storage, networking), GNSS reference stations and sensors, software for data ingestion, processing, and archiving, cybersecurity and redundancy systems, staffing and training, ongoing operations and maintenance
Timeframe:
• Overall: 18–36 mo
• Phase: requirements & design (3–6 mo), facility setup & equipment procurement (6–12 mo), integration & testing (6–12 mo), operationalization & training (3–6 mo)
Pros:
• Autonomous Infrastructure Control - Can enable autonomous control over critical infrastructure
• Reduced Foreign Dependency - Reduces reliance on foreign PNT services and data sources
• Data Fusion Capacity - Enables possible fusion of GNSS data with other types of data such as EO, meteorological or other
• Support for Advanced R&D - Supports R&D development and the integration of information technologies like Artificial Intelligence
Considerations:
• Cybersecurity Risk - Recognizes that, as a national asset, the data centre becomes a high-value target for cyber threats.
• High Energy and Cooling Demands - Accounts for significant energy consumption and cooling requirements necessary to maintain continuous data centre operations.