Monthly Archives: September 2016

GSA accepts Loyola de Palacio facility – home of the GSC in Madrid

GSC acceptance meetingThe European GNSS Agency (GSA) has formally accepted the new Loyola de Palacio facility, which houses the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), from the Spanish government, a key milestone in the development of the Galileo programme and its service provisions, which is scheduled to begin later this year with the declaration of Initial Services.

“The GSC is a key asset for the Galileo programme; it is Galileo’s door to the GNSS world,” said GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Today, the GSA is pleased to accept this excellent facility from Spain. It is a symbol of the upcoming service phase and the single, unique interface for Galileo users.” Read more…

GPS and Galileo: a winning combination for aviation and beyond

Twenty years ago, the air transport sector clearly identified the benefits of GPS for flight management and air traffic control. Today, the future of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) lies in a combined use of GPS and Galileo.Topstar-200

This year, the first LPV-200 approach was successfully made at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (https://galileognss.eu/first-egnos-lpv-200-approach/), the first such approaches to be implemented in Europe. It was achieved using GPS SBAS/LPV (EGNOS) receivers, lending further credibility to the EGNOS GNSS system. Read more…

Four Galileos reach Europe’s Spaceport ready for November launch

Galileo Quartet LandingA transatlantic flight delivered four Galileo satellites to French Guiana on Tuesday 6th September, in preparation for a shared launch this November by Ariane 5, the first for Europe’s satnav constellation.

The satellites’ odyssey began the previous day, when they left ESA’s technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, where every Galileo satellite is tested.

Each satellite was placed into protective containers before leaving the cleanroom environment of the test facility. These containers incorporate sophisticated environmental control, satellite monitoring systems and shock absorbers. Read more…

BQ Aquaris X5 Plus. First European Galileo-ready smartphone

BQ Aquaris X5 PlusSpanish technology company BQ announces that their new Aquaris X5 Plus smartphone will be the first European Galileo-ready smartphone to hit the market.

In anticipation of the planned launch of Galileo Initial Services later this year, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) welcomes the first European Galileo-ready smartphone. The Aquaris X5 Plus smartphone, produced by the Spanish technology company BQ, is based on the Galileo-supported Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, with Galileo capability accessible via a software update to be released in Q4 2016. Read more…

Galileo’s Ariane 5 arrives at Europe’s Spaceport

Unloading Ariane 5

The first Ariane 5 rocket modified to carry four Galileo satellites into orbit has arrived at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for a November launch.

So far, 14 Galileo satellites have been launched two by two on Soyuz rockets from French Guiana. This inaugural launch by Ariane 5 will boost that number to 18.

The MN Colibri roll-on/roll-off ship, built to transport European rocket elements, reached French Guiana’s Pariacabo Port on 22 August. Read more…

Jackson Labs Technologies, Inc. Delivers World’s First Galileo-Enabled Multi-GNSS Disciplined Oscillators (GNSDO™)

GPS-3500 Galileo-enabled Position, Navigation, Timing referenceA First-to-Market Galileo Update for Numerous JLT Products Allows Concurrent Operation of GPS/Glonass/BeiDou With the New Galileo Satellite Navigation System, Improving Performance and Reliability.

Jackson Labs Technologies, Inc, a designer and manufacturer of cutting-edge GNSS, timing and frequency equipment, today announced several new products with full support for the new and emerging Galileo Satellite Navigation System, as well as a free software retrofit to existing products adding Galileo functionality. Read more…