GPS World

Tag: G2G

  • Galileo adds two new satellites

    Galileo adds two new satellites

    Europe has given fresh momentum to its Galileo navigation system following the successful Dec. 17 launch of two new satellites aboard an Ariane 6 rocket. The launch, the 14th of the program (L14), is one of the final three planned launches of first-generation (G1G) satellites. The two new satellites will strengthen the global positioning, navigation and timing services provided by the system.

    The launch comes at a critical moment for the constellation, which needs to replace its oldest satellites, stated GMV, lead developer and operator of the Galileo ground control segment.

    More than 4 billion users worldwide routinely rely on Galileo. This launch milestone ensures Europe’s ability to operate its own radionavigation system, which is essential for intelligent transportation, logistics, precision agriculture, defense, public safety, communications network operations, and energy generation and transmission.

    From centers in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Fucino, Italy, GMV manages post-separation operations from the launch vehicle and ensures the correct insertion of the new satellites into the constellation. GMV also operates 24/7 to monitor the health and position of each satellite, plan and execute orbital maneuvers, ensure signal integrity, and manage critical system operations.

    Coming soon: Second-Gen Galileo

    The L15 and L16 missions will complete the first generation of the system before transitioning to the second-generation Galileo satellites (G2G) under development. These will introduce advanced capabilities, greater accuracy, and enhanced resilience against interference and cyber threats, further strengthening Galileo’s role as a strategic infrastructure for Europe.

  • Thales partners with ESA on Galileo cybersecurity and enhancements

    Thales partners with ESA on Galileo cybersecurity and enhancements

    From left to right: Sylvain Loddo, director of the Galileo ground segment program at ESA, Ennio Guarino, head of the EGNOS and Galileo programs at ESA, Lionel Salmon, director of cybersecurity for information systems at Thales, and Alexandra Porez, director of cybersecurity for satellite systems at Thales. (Image: Thales)
    From left to right: Sylvain Loddo, director of the Galileo ground segment program at ESA, Ennio Guarino, head of the EGNOS and Galileo programs at ESA, Lionel Salmon, director of cybersecurity for information systems at Thales, and Alexandra Porez, director of cybersecurity for satellite systems at Thales. (Image: Thales)

    Thales and the European Space Agency (ESA) will be working together on the cybersecurity aspects of the Galileo Second Generation (G2G) program.

    Under the partnership, Thales’ scalable and flexible architecture, and security equipment will enable the G2G program to strengthen its ability to detect and respond to new cyberthreats. The end-to-end solution Thales proposed will contribute to the development of greater security and resilience of satellites.

    In addition, Thales Alenia Space has partnered with the ESA to design and build the G2G ground mission segment, as well as support system engineering and technical assistance activities. The company also will provide six of the 12 satellites of the constellation.

    The second-generation ground mission segment is designed to generate and connect the navigation services to the Galileo satellites and to keep the satellites synchronized with a common time reference. The first version will arrive in time for the launch of the first second-generation satellites and for the validation of the system’s in-orbit capabilities. The second version will be responsible for the missions of both the first- and second-generation Galileo satellites.

    The new ground mission system, which includes several major technological innovations, will provide more than four billion users worldwide with improved performance in terms of positioning, navigation and synchronization.

  • GMV secures contract with ESA for G2G ground segment

    GMV secures contract with ESA for G2G ground segment

     

    Contract ceremony in Madrid, Spain, on June 22. (Image: GMV)
    Contract ceremony in Madrid, Spain, on June 22. (Image: GMV)

    GMV has been awarded a major contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop the ground control segment for the in-orbit validation (IOV) system of the Galileo Second Generation (G2G). The primary objectives of G2G are to introduce new services and technologies; improve existing services and technology; increase the accuracy and robustness of the system; strengthen security; and reduce the system’s maintenance costs.

    The ground segment will be responsible for controlling the two new second-generation satellite platforms, which are currently in the design and production phase. A total of 12 satellites are expected to be launched over the next three years. The new ground control system is scheduled to come into operation in 2

    025, coinciding with the launch of the first satellite of this second generation.

    The new contract signed between GMV and ESA is worth over €200 million. This includes the contracting of core G2G activities, for a value of around €155 million. These activities will be carried out over a period of 42 months, from mid-2023 until the end of 2026, with options for extension until 2028.

    Galileo currently serves more than four billion users worldwide, delivering global positioning, navigation, and clock synchronization services with a positioning accuracy of up to 20 cm.

  • First Fix: Arrivals and Departures

    First Fix: Arrivals and Departures

    Matteo Luccio
    Matteo Luccio

    As we begin 2023, GNSS development continues apace, as described in this issue’s annual “Directions” section by representatives of Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou. We plan to publish a similar update on the GPS program soon.

    Galileo’s user base now stands at more than 3.5 billion, and the services it provides continue to improve and expand. Beginning early this year, free precise point positioning (PPP) corrections for Galileo and GPS (single- and multi-frequency) will improve real-time user position by up to 10 times. While the discontinuation of Soyuz launch services from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana, due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, delayed the two Galileo launches that had been planned for last year, 2022 was a key year for the development of Galileo Second Generation (G2G) satellites. They will provide, among other innovations, a reconfigurable fully digital navigation payload, point-to-point connection between satellites, and advanced jamming and spoofing protection mechanisms.

    On Nov. 29, 2022, Russia launched the 51st Glonass-M satellite, about 20 years after launching the first one. Currently, 13 of these satellites are operating beyond their guaranteed lifetime, with an average orbit lifetime of more than 10 years. Starting this year, the constellation will be renewed by Glonass-K and Glonass-K2 satellites, which provide CDMA signals to users.

    Currently, 45 BDS satellites are operational in orbits, including 15 BDS-2 satellites and 30 BDS-3 satellites. The constellation says that it has reached a continuity of 99.996% and an availability of 99%, with a global positioning accuracy better than 1.5 meters horizontally and 2.5 meters vertically (95% confidence).

    Tracy Cozzens, who has been a pillar of this magazine for 17 years, is retiring this month. We will miss her journalistic acumen, dedication to clarity and style, attention to detail, and wealth of institutional knowledge. We wish her a well-deserved retirement. At the same time, we welcome aboard Maddie Saines, our new managing editor, who is near the beginning of her career.

    I am pleased to announce that Rob VanBrunt has joined GPS World’s Editorial Advisory Board. In mid-December, the board of directors of Spirent Federal Systems, a provider of PNT test solutions for the U.S. government and contractors, appointed him as the company’s president/CEO-designate, a role he will assume when the onboarding process is complete.

    VanBrunt began his career at Spirent Communications in 1990 as product developer and manager, and then held posts of increasing responsibilities, moving to director and vice president roles focused on management, strategy and mergers and acquisitions. Most recently, he was executive vice president in the Office of Business Excellence. VanBrunt has a B.S. in electrical and electronics engineering from Rutgers University.

    Spirent Communications is a global provider of automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity and positioning. In July 2001, the company formed Spirent Federal Systems as a wholly owned subsidiary and U.S. proxy company. Spirent Federal markets and sells Spirent Communications’ products in North America. It also provides value-added features and ongoing customer support.

    On Jan. 1, I lost my beloved mother, Maristella “Mimi” Luccio. She was 87.

    Matteo Luccio | Editor-in-Chief
    [email protected]

  • Orolia selected to deliver next-gen Galileo GNSS simulator

    Orolia selected to deliver next-gen Galileo GNSS simulator

    The European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) have selected Orolia to provide the core GNSS simulation engine for the Galileo Second Generation (G2G) RF Constellation Simulator (G2G RFCS).

    While the first launched Galileo satellites are reaching the end of their theoretical operational life, the G2G initiative includes the preparation of a future generation of Galileo global infrastructure, from satellites to ground segments, to maintain current services as well as provide improved performance and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) features to all users.

    In this context, Orolia has been selected to participate in the G2G RFCS activity, which will support G2G signals evolution requirements.

    The primary objective of the G2G RFCS initiative is to design, develop, manufacture and test an enhanced radio-frequency constellation simulator dedicated to Galileo engineering and experiments. This simulation technology will enable scientists and industries to verify, demonstrate and validate the future G2G configuration.

    To meet these requirements, Orolia will provide the core GNSS simulation engine based on its Skydel software technology, within a custom hardware configuration, to simulate all Galileo signals including Open Service (OS) and Public Regulated Service (PRS). Orolia’s GNSS simulators offer the high-end performance level and flexibility required to configure this new testing infrastructure in a software-defined solution.

    “With this project, Orolia demonstrates the Skydel platform’s exceptional flexibility to meet critical application requirements and serve as the core engine to design the next generation of GNSS signals,” said Orolia CEO Jean-Yves Courtois. “We are very proud to work with ESA, GMV and Tecnobit to help develop the next generation European Galileo constellation.”

    Image: ESA
    Image: ESA

  • GMV supplies a Galileo second-generation RF constellation simulator

    GMV supplies a Galileo second-generation RF constellation simulator

    Image: ESA
    Image: ESA

    The European Space Agency has selected GMV to supply the radio-frequency constellation simulator (RFCS) for the Galileo second generation (G2G) program.

    According to GMV, this is the multinational’s largest contract in Portugal.

    From Portugal, GMV will lead a consortium to supply an RFCS covering both the first and second Galileo generations. The Galileo first generation (G1G), running since December 2016, consists of space infrastructure (26 satellites to date) and ground infrastructure.

    Under the G2G RFCS contract, GMV teams in Portugal and Spain — partnering with Orolia and Tecobit — will develop an RFCS covering both Galileo generations as well as Galileo Open Service and Public Regulated Service (PRS). The RFCS will simulate the progressive deployment of the G2G with its new signals and will be key to supporting development of G2G infrastructure and testing of experimental user receivers.

    The G2G aims to phase in new services, improve existing services, and boost system robustness. It also will enhance security while cutting operating and maintenance costs.

    The RFCS will cover user characteristics such as dynamic behavior, signal impairments such as multipath and interference but also solution hybridization (for example, inertial sensors) and signal distortions. It will be designed to guarantee flexibility, configurability, modularity and scalability, as well as segregation of need-to-know information. For this purpose, the RFCS will be built with consumer-off-the-shelf products and follow a software-defined radio approach.

    The project is closely linked with other PRS activities within GMV, identified as strategic for the maintenance of GMV’s European leadership position in the Galileo program.

  • ESA chooses GMV as 1 of 3 contractors for new phase of Galileo ground station

    ESA chooses GMV as 1 of 3 contractors for new phase of Galileo ground station

    The Galileo Second Generation will phase in of new services, improve existing services and increase security

    The technology multinational GMV is playing a key role in the Galileo Second Generation (G2G) ground segment.

    G2G’s main objectives are to phase in new services, improve existing services, and boost system robustness and security while cutting both operating and maintenance costs, to cement Galileo’s position as one the future’s top GNSS.

    Three phases. G2G is divided into several phases. In the first, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), mission requirements were defined at system level. This was followed by a preparation phase, then an implementation phase.

    As well as priming several mission-requirement projects, GMV, since 2018, has been heading one of the consortia working on G2G’s complete ground segment during the preparation phase.

    Within the preparation phase — shortly before the start of the COVID lockdown — ESA announced the successful end of the first phase before launching a bid invitation for the second phase as the prelude to G2G implementation.

    Although publication of the bid invitation for this phase was eventually pushed back until mid-June, GMV never broke off its G2G activities. In recent months GMV has brought new recruitments and partners into the project team while also working on new ideas and kicking off some project activities.

    Team members have attended various skills-training courses, some of them gaining certification under SAFe 5 Agilist. During these months, GMV has also been working under new pandemic circumstances with teleworking, virtual meetings and new toolboxes.

    First Generation. Galileo First Generation (G1G), running since December 2016, consists of space infrastructure (26 satellites to date) and ground infrastructure. Galileo is now providing 20-cm-precision positioning, navigation and timing services for over 400 million users around the world.

    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)