Interface Control Documents

The communication boundaries between the Global Positioning System and other systems, as well as within the GPS itself, are known as interfaces.

Interfaces are documented in Interface Control Documents (ICDs). ICDs are the formal means of establishing, defining, and controlling interfaces and for documenting detailed interface design definition for the GPS program.

Interface Specifications (ISs) are specific types of ICDs. ISs specify a single government office or agency as the only necessary and required approval authority for the document. However, the procedure and the process for development, control, and maintenance is the same for both ICDs and ISs.

If you are seeking an ICD that does not appear on this page, please contact the GPS Directorate at SMCGPER@us.af.mil.

NEW Public Notice Regarding Receiver Compliance with IS-GPS-200H (IODC Value Selection Process) by March 2018

IS-GPS-200

Updated Jul 2017

Interface Specification IS-GPS-200 defines the requirements related to the interface between the GPS space and user segments for radio frequency link 1 (L1) and link 2 (L2).

PDF icon IS-GPS-200H
+ IRNs 001, 002, & 003
Download 1.5 MB PDF icon NEW IRN-IS-200H-004A
Download 693.2 KB PDF icon NEW IRN-IS-200H-005
Download 774.1 KB

Revision H (IS-GPS-200H), dated Sep 24, 2013, was signed on Mar 21, 2014. Interface Revision Notices (IRNs) 001 through 005 make changes to IS-GPS-200H. Together, the six documents replace all prior versions for new design. The first four are rolled up into one file above but provided separately below.

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IS-GPS-705

Updated Jul 2017

Interface Specification IS-GPS-705 defines the requirements related to the interface between the GPS space and user segments for radio frequency link 5 (L5).

PDF icon IS-GPS-705D
Download 1.5 MB PDF icon IRN-IS-705D-001
Download 449.5 KB PDF icon IRN-IS-705D-002
Download 470.2 KB PDF icon IRN-IS-705D-003A
Download 318.4 KB PDF icon NEW IRN-IS-705D-004
Download 745 KB

Revision D (IS-GPS-705D), dated Sep 24, 2013, was signed on Mar 21, 2014. Interface Revision Notices (IRNs) 001 through 004 make changes to IS-GPS-705D. Together, the five documents replace all prior versions for new design.

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IS-GPS-800

Updated Jul 2017

Interface Specification IS-GPS-800 defines the characteristics of a signal transmitted from GPS satellites to navigation receivers on radio frequency link 1 (L1). While multiple GPS signals broadcast at the L1 band, this Interface Specification defines only the signal denoted L1 Civil (L1C).

PDF icon IS-GPS-800D
Download 2.5 MB PDF icon IRN-IS-800D-001
Download 362.6 KB PDF icon IRN-IS-800D-002
Download 291.5 KB PDF icon NEW IRN-IS-800D-003
Download 667.8 KB

Revision D (IS-GPS-800D), dated Sep 24, 2013, was signed on Mar 21, 2014. Interface Revision Notices (IRNs) 001 through 003 make changes to IS-GPS-800D. Together, the four documents replace all prior versions for new design.

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ICD-GPS-240

Updated Nov 2017

Interface Control Document ICD-GPS-240 defines the functional data transfer interface between the GPS Control Segment (CS) and the GPS user and user-support communities during the Operational Control System (OCS)/Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP) systems era.

PDF icon ICD-GPS-240A
Download 2.2 MB PDF icon NEW IRN-240A-002
Download 1.1 MB

Revision A (ICD-GPS-240A), signed Jan 12, 2010, replaces all prior versions for new design. Interface Revision Notice (IRN) 002, dated Sep 21, 2016, makes changes to IS-GPS-240A. Together, the two documents replace all prior versions for new design.

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ICD-GPS-870

Updated Nov 2017

Interface Control Document ICD-GPS-870 defines the functional data transfer interface between the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) and the GPS user and user-support communities. The ICD describes the data files that are transferred in this interface and the means by which they are distributed. ICD-GPS-870 captures the same interface as ICD-GPS-240, but for the OCX era.

PDF icon ICD-GPS-870B
Download 2.3 MB PDF icon NEW IRN-870B-001
Download 2 MB

Revision B (ICD-GPS-870B), dated Sep 24, 2013, and signed Oct 10, 2013, replaces all prior versions for new design. Interface Revision Notice (IRN) 001, dated Mar 21, 2017, makes changes to ICD-GPS-870B. Together, the two documents replace all prior versions for new design.

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Interface Control Working Group

ICWG Meeting Minutes Published

In December 2017, the GPS Directorate published the minutes of the 2017 Public ICWG and Open Forum.

Learn more

The Interface Control Working Group (ICWG) is a specialized technical working group comprised of appropriate technical representatives from the interfacing activities and other interested participating organizations.

The ICWG serves as a forum to develop and provide interface requirements, as well as focus on interface detail definition and issues.

ICWG members include representatives from the GPS Directorate of the U.S. Air Force, other government agencies and offices, contractors, and other industry organizations.

The detailed description and requirements of ICWGs are provided in the GPS ICWG Charter.
View charter

ICWGs for documents that are publicly releasable are referred to as Public ICWGs, which are structured the same as the ICWG but with a few additional requirements. The additional requirements include coordinating meetings and documents to the public.

For additional information about the ICWG, please contact SMCGPER@us.af.mil.

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