GPS World

Tag: Eutelsat 5 West B

  • EGNOS satellite upgrade strengthens European navigation services

    EGNOS satellite upgrade strengthens European navigation services

    The GEO-3 satellite Eutelsat 5 West B (PRN 121) is now part of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) operational platform and broadcasts the Operational Signal-in-Space.

    PRN 121 began broadcasting operational signals Aug. 25 as part of EGNOS System Release 2.4.3. The upgrade seeks to strengthen service continuity and prepare the system for future enhancements.

    The transition involved swapping satellite roles within the EGNOS constellation. On Sept. 5, the GEO-2 satellite ASTRA 5-B shifted from operational to test status, creating a new configuration with GEO-1 and GEO-3 handling operational duties while GEO-2 serves as the test platform.

    The changes will not disrupt service or affect coverage areas, officials said.

    “Eutelsat is proud of its long-standing collaboration with EUSPA,” said Arlen Kassighian, chief engineering officer of Eutelsat. “We are delighted to host this payload, which will continue to significantly enhance the performance of global navigation satellite systems across Europe in the coming years.”

    The system release represents preparation for EGNOS V3, the next-generation platform that will offer enhanced performance, improved robustness and dual-frequency multi-constellation capabilities for European satellite navigation services, according to Jean-Marc Pieplu, head of EGNOS Exploitation Department.

    The European Union Agency for the Space Programme manages the EGNOS space segment, system upgrades and service provision. The agency’s integration of the GEO-3 satellite ensures EGNOS continues providing reliable augmentation services for safety-critical and professional applications throughout Europe.

    Additional information is available in the EGNOS Service Notice.

  • EGNOS payload enters service on Eutelsat 5 West B

    EGNOS payload enters service on Eutelsat 5 West B

    The EGNOS payload aboard the Eutelsat 5 West B satellite has entered service, according to Eutelsat Communications. The satellite carries a payload for the European GNSS Agency (GSA) called GEO-3. GEO-3 is designed to be aboard a geostationary satellite to augment GNSS signals.

    A solar-array problem affected the satellite shortly after its Oct. 9 launch.

    Eutelsat 5 West B is hosting the EGNOS payload under a 15-year agreement signed in 2017 with the European GNSS Agency (GSA). The contract also includes technical services and a European ground infrastructure, including two gateways installed at Eutelsat’s Rambouillet and Cagliari teleports.

    Image: GSA
    Image: GSA

    “Eutelsat is proud of the collaboration with its customer GSA, its partners including the European Space Agency, and its suppliers, culminating in the entry into service of this next generation technology of EGNOS on Eutelsat 5 West B,” said Yohann Leroy, Eutelsat’s Deputy CEO and Chief Technical Officer. “We are delighted to host this payload, which will significantly enhance the performance of global navigation satellite systems across Europe, notably Galileo, in the coming years.”

    “With this new payload in service, EGNOS is moving towards the transition to its new generation,” said Pascal Claudel, GSA acting executive director and CEO. “This has been done thanks to the constructive collaboration with Eutelsat. Delivery and continuity of satellite services are part of our mission as delegated by the European Commission. It is essential that we, at the GSA, ensure these services to support economic growth and that the European Union’s citizens and companies can benefit from the latest GNSS technology.”

  • EGNOS GEO-3’s launch satellite has solar array problem

    EGNOS GEO-3’s launch satellite has solar array problem

    Eutelsat Communications is investigating an incident on one of the two solar arrays on its Eutelsat 5 West B satellite. The satellite, launched Oct. 9, carries a payload for the European GNSS Agency (GSA) called GEO-3. GEO-3 is designed to be aboard a geostationary satellite to augment GNSS signals.

    Eutelsat is working to assess the potential impact on the performance of the satellite and will communicate on it as quickly as possible, according to a statement from the company.

    Eutelsat Communications said the satellite is fully insured against the eventuality of loss by a launch-plus-one-year insurance.

    Eutelsat 5 West B hosts the GEO-3 payload of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) under a 15-year agreement signed in 2017 with the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and valued at approximately $112 million dollars (102 million euros).

    The EGNOS payload, manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space, will hone the accuracy of satellite navigation signals over Europe for use in aviation, maritime and other industries as part of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS).

    Revenues generated in Financial Year 2018-19 by Eutelsat 5 West A, the satellite that West B is intended to replace, amounted to about $33.3 million (30 million euros).

    Feature image: Orbit ATK