The Galileo programme is Europe’s initiative for a state-of-the-art global satellite navigation system, providing a highly accurate global positioning service under civilian control. The fully deployed system will consist of 30 satellites and the associated ground infrastructure. Galileo will be inter-operable with GPS and GLONASS. It will deliver state of the art services like Search and Rescue (SAR), encrypted signals or superior accuracy time-stamping.
This week a unique, combined team of specialists are conducting final training at ESA’s ESOC mission control centre to prepare for the 24 May launch of Europe’s next Galileo satellites, a dual launch on a Soyuz rocket from Kourou.
The team comprises over 40 experts drawn from ESA and from France’s CNES space agency, supported by additional specialists at both agencies in areas such as flight dynamics and ground stations.
Within the combined flight control team, each position is paired with its counterpart from the other agency and mixed “CNESOC” shifts will rotate to conduct operations around the clock. Read more…
Written by Bogdan A. Zdrojewski.
“Over the past 50 years, Europe has had many successes on the space market. The most recent example is the Rosetta satellite mission, which was tasked with entering into a comet’s orbit and releasing a module, which landed on its surface.
Member states are aware of the potential of space technologies, but it’s important to reiterate the impact these could have on economic development improving overall quality of life, as well as the assurance of widely understood security.
In the report I worked on in Parliament’s security and defence subcommittee, I drew special attention to this last element, which is often omitted.
The EU adopted its space strategy in 2007, and thanks to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, it has competences in the creation and support of space policy. Read more…
Written by Carlo des Dorides.
“Europe’s investment in space delivers vitally important benefits in many areas, including science, defence and in economic growth. Innovation spills over into many sectors, creating jobs and opportunities for Europeans and European business. This opportunity is once again underlined as Galileo moves toward the delivery of Initial Services.
Despite this recognised potential, we struggle to adequately support innovation. If Europe wants to remain a global leader in space, it must become more competitive today. We cannot afford to rest on our past successes.
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) actively funds innovation through EU programmes such as Horizon 2020. These initiatives that aim to keep space accessible and safe in the long run, have already made a difference. Read more…
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) announces that the EGNOS time service remained stable and properly synchronised to UTC time during a recent GPS timing anomaly on January 26th.
On the 26th of January, users of United States GPS system experienced timing issues after a number of GPS satellites broadcast incorrect UTC correction parameters. According to the US Air Force, the coordinated universal time message that was transmitted was off by 13 microseconds. During this anomaly EGNOS, which serves as an augmentation to the GPS, remained stable and properly synchronised to UTC. Read more…
Ariane operations began in 1979 with the Ariane 1 version. Since then, more than 220 Ariane flights have been performed from the Spaceport, where the Ariane 5 now operates as Arianespace’s workhorse heavy-lift launch vehicle.
Arianespace’s launcher family was expanded in 2011 with the introduction of its medium-lift Soyuz at French Guiana, and joined in early 2012 by the lightweight Vega. Read more…
A launch is the result of teamwork that brings together skilled personnel from multiple organizations.
Arianespace
As the commercial operator of the Ariane, Soyuz and Vega launch systems at French Guiana, Arianespace is responsible for placing its customers’ satellite payloads into orbit. It markets launch services, acquires the launch vehicles, prepares the missions and handles all relations with customers – with the dual goals of being a leader in commercial space transportation and guaranteeing Europe’s independent access to space. At the Spaceport in French Guiana, Arianespace manages the industrial team that integrates and prepares for launch, and the company oversees the satellite campaign from the spacecraft’s arrival through its injection into orbit. Read more…