GPS World

Tag: Galileo Batch 3

  • Galileo chalks up 500th ESA Engineering Board

    Galileo chalks up 500th ESA Engineering Board

    Image: ESA
    Image: ESA

    The end of 2020 marked a milestone for the Galileo First Generation, as the program chalked up its 500th European Space Agency (ESA) Engineering Board.

    For more than 12 years, ESA and industry engineers from all relevant disciplines — system, satellite, ground, signal, radio navigation, RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety), security and infrastructure — have put their best skills at the disposal of the board.

    The board is a forum where technical experts regularly meet to maintain, review and update the Galileo Project technical baseline, known as the System Technical Requirements Baseline (STRB). The STRB drives the implementation of the Galileo System and its infrastructure, the space and ground segments, along with associated interfaces and operations.

    The G1 system technical specification under ESA adds up to more than 22,000 separate requirements. These requirements are both unclassified and classified, with considerable interdependencies which all that need to be controlled in configuration.

    The Galileo G1 Engineering Board is chaired by ESA in accordance with its role as Galileo System Design Authority, assigned to it by the European Commission.

    Since the building of the first G1 Engineering Board in 2008, 26 Galileo satellites have been built, tested and flown. The Galileo system’s globe-spanning ground system has also been put in place and made operational. The board continues to be a crucial enabler for further robustness improvements and new service evolutions.

    A further 12 Batch 3 satellites are set to join the constellation in the coming decade. These satellites are being finalized at OHB Systems in Bremen, Germany, and then tested at ESA’s ESTEC Test Centre in the Netherlands.

    The worldwide Galileo ground segment includes two control centers (Italy and Germany) as well as various tracking, uplink and sensor stations and monitoring and test centers. (Image: ESA)
    The worldwide Galileo ground segment includes two control centers (Italy and Germany) as well as various tracking, uplink and sensor stations and monitoring and test centers. (Image: ESA)

    Galileo began initial operations in December 2016 and today serves more than 1.5 billion smartphones and devices.

    The G1 Engineering Board meetings will continue, complemented with Engineering Boards for the new Galileo Second Generation (G2 satellites are planned for later this decade), which are already well underway.

  • Testing suspended on Galileo Batch 3 satellites

    Testing suspended on Galileo Batch 3 satellites

    In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the test campaign for the first two satellites of Galileo’s Batch 3 has been suspended.

    The suspension is based on the medical advice for social distancing — too high a concentration of people is needed on site if testing were to continue, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

    An aerial view of ESTEC. The Erasmus building is at front right. The T building (home to ESA's Galileo team) is in the foreground. (Photo: ESTEC)
    An aerial view of ESTEC. The Erasmus building is at front right. The T building (home to ESA’s Galileo team) is in the foreground. (Photo: ESTEC)

    The satellites are based at the ESTEC Test Centre in the Netherlands for engineering tests ahead of launch. The stored satellites are being monitored by staff visiting ESTEC every few days, to verify that all is in order.

    Other Galileo-related testing continues with the aim of supporting future launches. ESTEC-based lifetime testing of the next set of rubidium atomic clocks is set to continue, involving on-site monitoring every few days.

    Working from home

    ESA’s Directorate of Navigation has shifted to teleworking while also ensuring the continuity of essential tasks, in particular the continued delivery of positioning, navigation and timing services of both Galileo and EGNOS.

    The ESA team is using video and audio conferences to continue meetings with the industries involved and minimize the impact on the deliveries of EGNOS upgrades, Galileo Batch 3 satellites, and preparatory work for Galileo Second Generation.

    The national, local and industrial decisions on travel, meetings and quarantine are impacting the ability to deliver all ongoing commitments, so measures are being taken to minimize their impact, ESA said in a press release.

    Priority has been given to ensure continued operations of both EGNOS and Galileo, so the ESA Navigation Directorate has been supporting the European GNSS Agency (GSA), the operator of Galileo and EGNOS, on behalf of the European Commission.

    The team also is maintaining constant contact with various stakeholders.

    NAVISP and Horizon 2020

    Research and development projects under the Directorate’s Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) are continuing at a somewhat slower pace, given the crisis. So are satellite navigation projects financed by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, which develop future technology for the EU satellite navigation projects.

    “Confronted with this unprecedented situation, our efforts are focussing on business continuity and supporting the GSA with services provision of Galileo and EGNOS, while taking all necessary measures to protect our personnel,” said Paul Verhoef, ESA Director of Navigation. “An impact assessment will only be possible when we see the end of the restrictions in the various European countries. For the time being, stay home, stay healthy, is the priority, whereas however we are in close contact with industry to try and keep momentum on the projects that are underway.”

  • Second pair of Galileo satellites reach launch site

    Second pair of Galileo satellites reach launch site

    News from the European Space Agency

    Two more Galileo satellites have reached Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, joining the first pair of navigation satellites and the Ariane 5 rocket due to haul the quartet to orbit this December.

    Inside the 747. (Photo: ESA)

    Galileos 21 and 22 left Luxembourg Airport on a Boeing 747 cargo jet on the morning of Oct. 17, arriving at Cayenne-Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana on the same day.

    Resting within distinctive white air-conditioned containers, the satellites were driven to the cleanroom environment of the preparation building within the space centre.

    Waiting for them there were Galileos 19 and 20, which arrived in September.

    The four satellites will be launched together in mid-December by a customised Ariane 5, the elements of which reached French Guiana last month by sea.

    Galileos 21 and 22 being unloaded from their 747 cargo aircraft at Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana on Oct. 17. (Photo: ESA)

    Galileo is Europe’s own satellite navigation system, providing an array of positioning, navigation and timing services to Europe and the world.

    A further eight Galileo Batch 3 satellites were ordered last June, to supplement the 26 built so far.

    With 18 satellites now in orbit, Galileo began initial services on Dec. 15, 2016, the first step towards full operations.

    Further launches will continue to build the constellation, which will gradually improve performance and availability worldwide.