Category Archives: Galileo Ground Segment

Galileo Ground Segment

A contract for the future DLR GfR and Thales Alenia Space shoulder to strengthen Galileo operations

After a long and fruitful negotiation phase, Thales Alenia Space (represented by Mr. Benoit Broudy) and DLR GfR Germany (represented by Mr. Simon Plum and Mr. Walter Päffgen), as they published at the Paris Air Show, have signed the contract in the presence of Mr. Jean-Loic Galle (CEO, Thales Alenia Space), Mr. André Bauerhin (CEO, Spaceopal) and Hansjörg Dittus (Executive Board Member DLR Cologne) for the Galileo Mission Segment (GMS) maintenance. Read more…

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Galileo set to growth with global system upgrade

Having completed all necessary qualification testing, ESA has received the green light to upgrade the global infrastructure running Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system. The resulting migration, which started in February 2019, will incorporate new elements into the world-spanning system and boost the robustness of Galileo services delivered from the 26 satellites in orbit.

Galileo-model-at-the-Oberpfaffenhofen-Control-Centre -in -Germany

Galileo model at the Oberpfaffenhofen Control Centre in Germany

Authorisation for this upgrade – formally known as Galileo System Build 1.5.1 – has been given by the Galileo Security Accreditation Board, made up of European Union Member States. Read more…

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Thales Alenia Space awarded Galileo GMS and GSF contract

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), today announced the signature of a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), acting on behalf of the European Commission (EC) and the European GNSS Agency (GSA),for the development and deployment of the next version of the ground-based Galileo Mission Segment (GMS) and the Galileo Security Facility (GSF), together known as WP2X.

Thales Alenia Space logo

This contract, amounting around 324 million euros, will also include maintenance of the currently deployed operational versions. The main goal of this operational phase is to achieve the Full Operational Capability (FOC) for Galileo Open service by the end of 2020. For the PRS – which many participating Member States are eager to use for their governmental applications – the aim is to reach Initial Operational Capability (IOC). Read more…

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GMV awarded Galileo Ground Control Segment (GCS) contract

With Europe’s Galileo constellation in space now expanded to 26 navigation satellites – and Galileo Initial Services available to users worldwide – the infrastructure on the ground that controls them is undergoing a corresponding expansion.

Galileo Control Segment (GCS) contract signed

Galileo Control Segment (GCS) contract signed

ESA has awarded a new work order for the Galileo Control Segment – that part of the Galileo system responsible for the monitoring and control of all the satellites in orbit – to GMV Aerospace and Defence, Spain. Read more…

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ESTEC’s new Galileo payload testbed facility

ESA microwave engineers took apart an entire Galileo satellite to reassemble its navigation payload on a laboratory test bench to run it as though it were in orbit – available to investigate the lifetime performance of its component parts, recreate satellite anomalies, and test candidate technologies for Galileo’s future evolution.

ESTEC’s new Galileo Payload Testbed Facility

ESTEC’s new Galileo Payload Testbed Facility

Located in the cleanroom environment of the Galileo Payload Laboratory – part of ESA’s Microwave Lab based at its ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands – the new Galileo IOV Testbed Facility was inaugurated this week with a ceremony attended by Paul Verhoef, ESA Director of Navigation and Franco Ongaro, ESA Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality. Read more…

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Galileo Reference Centre now officially open. Linking Space and User Needs

Galileo Reference CentreThe official inauguration of the Galileo Reference Centre took place on 16 May 2018 in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The Centre represents another crucial Galileo Programme element now in place, supporting the provision of services to the core system and its users.

Speaking at the Galileo Reference Centre (GRC) inauguration event in Noordwijk, which also comprised a short seminar, Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s DG GROW said, “I love the slogan: ‘Linking Space and User Needs’. This is exactly what we want – new services based on space systems, bringing these services to new consumers, which means economic growth and more jobs for European citizens.” Read more…

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Indra expands with four new stations the Galileo ground segment

Indra expands with four new stations the Galileo ground segmentIndra has been awarded a contract for implementing four new Uplink Stations (ULS), thus expanding the ground segment of the European global positioning system, Galileo. Awarded by the company Thales Alenia Space (France), this contract also includes maintenance and upgrades for all Uplink stations.

The new stations will join the ten uplink stations that Indra has already put into service and six others currently in development from a previous contract.  Read more…

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