NGS NEWS

Geodetic Survey Project Submission Deadline: January 13, 2027

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is preparing for the implementation of the modernized National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). To support this transition, all OPUS Projects and differential leveling projects intended to create or update geodetic control within the current NSRS (e.g., NAD 83 and NAVD 88) must be submitted to NGS by January 13, 2027.

After January 13, 2027, NGS will no longer accept GPS project submissions through OPUS Projects 5. However, OPUS Projects 5 will remain available for processing GPS baselines and performing network adjustments within the current NSRS during the transition period. NGS programs WinDesc and Translev will also remain available during this time.

OPUS Projects 5, WinDesc, and Translev are tools designed for the current NSRS. Upon rollout of the modernized NSRS, NGS will provide an updated version of OPUS-Static (version 5.2) that supports the modernized NSRS and allows users to share solutions and contribute GNSS observations for individual survey marks for inclusion in future national adjustments used to derive geodetic control. Updated OPUS-Static and its sharing capabilities are intended to provide a pathway for contributing GNSS observations upon rollout of the modernized NSRS.

NGS is also developing OPUS 6, a cloud-native software suite for geodetic survey project processing and submission within the modernized NSRS. OPUS 6 is being designed to support several enhancements, including multi-GNSS baseline processing capabilities with NGS scientific software M-PAGES, and support for the modernized NSRS. OPUS 6 is also planned to support the ingestion of leveling and total station data for computations, corrections, and adjustments. Once completed, OPUS 6 is intended to support multiple occupations via multiple observation methods on a network of survey marks and provide advanced project processing and submission capabilities in a manner similar to what is currently available for GNSS observations in OPUS Projects 5.

Recommended Actions for Users

• Submit current NSRS geodetic survey projects before January 13, 2027
• Continue collecting and archiving GNSS observations and project metadata consistent with NGS best practices.
• Begin evaluating workflows and software dependencies related to the modernized NSRS
• Monitor NGS modernization updates, training, and implementation guidance

NGS recognizes that this transition represents a significant operational change for surveyors and geospatial professionals who contribute geodetic survey data for inclusion in the NSRS and remains committed to minimizing service disruptions during implementation of the modernized NSRS. Additional guidance, training opportunities, and implementation updates will be provided as modernization activities progress.

For questions or feedback, please contact NGS at NGS.Feedback@noaa.gov.