On 20 January the Commission awarded two contracts for 12 Satellites (6 satellites each) for a total of EUR €1.47 billion, to ThalesAleniaSpace (Italy) and Airbus Defence & Space (Germany) following an open competition.
Airbus and Thales win second-generation Galileo satellite contracts
With this, the Commission is initiating the launch of the 2nd Generation of Galileo Read more…
The Galileo Information Centres (GIC), an initiative of the European Commission and DG-DEFIS, are facilitating the introduction of EGNSS in Latin America. The recently-established Centre in Chile – providing services to the Galileo user community in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador – is organising a series of webinars to introduce Galileo to the Latin America user community, and showcase the benefits that the European GNSS can bring to the regional markets and stakeholders.
Chile’s Galileo Information Centre launches a series of webinars to introduce Galileo in Latin America
The Galileo Information Centres, funded by the European Commission (EC) and the DG Defence Industry and Space (DG-DEFIS), are of promoting the introduction of the European GNSS (EGNSS) programmes, Galileo and EGNOS, in Latin America. The Centres monitor local and regional satellite navigation initiatives, identifying potential markets and stakeholders, and providing support to users Read more…
With 26 satellites now in orbit and over 1.5 billion smartphones and devices worldwide receiving highly accurate navigation signals, Europe’s Galileo navigation system will soon become even better, ensuring quality services over the next decades.
Paul Verhoef, ESA Director of Navigation
Following the European Commission’s decision to accelerate development of Galileo Next Generation, ESA has asked European satellite manufacturers to submit bids for the first batch of the Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites. The new spacecraft are expected to be launched in about four years. Read more…
Galileo will provide a High Accuracy Service (HAS) with positioning performance in the 20-cm range, disseminating Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections through the Galileo E6-B signal. Test results of a data encoding and dissemination scheme in different user environments demonstrate a reception time of the corrections in a few seconds in good channel conditions, and less than half a minute with severe channel impairments.
Galileo High Accuracy Service Architecture
The Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) will provide Precise Point Positioning (PPP) corrections enabling position accuracies in the 20-cm range. Such level of accuracy, and the fact that it will be provided for free Read more…
Search and Rescue (SAR) operations involve locating and helping people in distress. They can be carried out in a variety of locations including at sea, in mountains or deserts, and in urban areas. With the launch of Initial Services, Galileo will help SAR operators respond to distress signals faster and more effectively while also lowering their own exposure to risk… Search and Rescue service is Galileo’s contribution to the international Cospas-Sarsat network. Galileo is a EU programme, carried out in cooperation with the European Space Agency.
By Thierry Breton*:
I am very happy to be with you today to participate to my first Space Conference. A few months ago, I would have never imagined to be here in front of you, delivering a speech on the priorities for Europe on space.
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market
But I am particularly pleased, because as I said in my hearing, I had many lives but always the same driver: passion. Read more…
On July 25 four more Galileo satellites were successfully launched from the European spaceport in French Guiana on the European launcher Ariane 5. Now with a constellation of 26 satellites, the EU’s global satellite navigation system will provide a more precise signal across a range of valuable services.
Galileo has been providing positioning and timing services to around 400 million users since December 2016. This launch brings the constellation close to completion in 2020, which is when Galileo will reach full operational capability. Once complete and with a record precision of 20cm, Galileo will be the most precise satellite navigation system in the world. Read more…