Tag Archives: OHB

Galileo next-generation satellites on the horizon

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

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…

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Four new Galileos join Europe’s largest constellation

The latest four Galileo satellites have been given the green light to begin working alongside the rest of Europe’s satellite navigation fleet, giving a further boost to worldwide Galileo service quality.

Galileo's global ground segment

Galileo’s global ground segment

Galileo has grown to become Europe’s single largest satellite constellation, built up over 10 launches over the course of this decade. The first of seven double-satellite Soyuz launches took place in 2011, with three sets of four-satellite Ariane-5 launches during the last three years. Read more…

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OHB awarded contract to build 4 additional Galileo satellites

Galileo’s navigation system is continuing to make strides toward a satellite constellation designed to gradually improve the system’s performance and availability worldwide.

Galileo FOC Satellilte Fit-check

Galileo FOC Satellilte Fit-check

Last month, the European Commission (EC) announced it had exercised one of its contractual options for the European Galileo navigation system and ordered four additional satellites from OHB System AG. Read more…

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Europe’s next Galileo satellites in place atop Ariane 5

Europe’s next Galileo satellites have been put in place on top of the Ariane 5 launcher due to lift them from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Wednesday 25 July.

Galileo satellites 23-26 were lifted to the top of their Ariane 5 launcher inside the BAF ‘Bâtiment d’Assemblage’ building on Wednesday 11 July, ahead of their Wednesday 25 July 2018 launch.

Galileo satellites 23-26 were lifted to the top of their Ariane 5 launcher inside the BAF ‘Bâtiment d’Assemblage’ building on Wednesday 11 July, ahead of their Wednesday 25 July 2018 launch.

The launcher – appearing headless in the absence of its final payload – was moved from the BIL Launcher Integration Building, where it was assembled, to the BAF Final Assembly Building, ready for the Galileo satellites to be mated with it. Read more…

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Next four Galileo satellites fuelled for launch

Europe’s next four Galileo satellites have been fuelled at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in preparation for their launch on 25 July.

Technicians on SCAPE (Self Contained Atmospheric Protection Ensemble) suits to fill Galileo satellites 23-26 with hydrazine fuel. This operation took place in the Guiana Space Centre's S3B payload preparation building on 29 June 2018

Technicians on SCAPE (Self Contained Atmospheric Protection Ensemble) suits to fill Galileo satellites 23-26 with hydrazine fuel. This operation took place in the Guiana Space Centre’s S3B payload preparation building on 29 June 2018

The four satellites were placed into their protective containers to be transported from the S1A processing building to the S3B payload preparation building, where they were filled with the hydrazine fuel that will keep the satellites manoeuverable during their 12-year working lives. Read more…

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Contract signed with OHB, SSTL for eight more Galileo satellites

Signing the contract. ESA’s Director of the Galileo Programme, Paul Verhoef (right) shakes hands with CEO of OHB, Marco FuchsEurope’s Galileo navigation constellation will gain an additional eight satellites, bringing it to completion, thanks to a contract signed at the Paris Air and Space Show.

The contract to build and test another eight Galileo satellites was awarded to a consortium led by prime contractor OHB, with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd overseeing their navigation platforms.

This is the third such satellite signing: the first four In Orbit Validation satellites were built by a consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space, while production of the next 22 Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites was led by OHB. Read more…

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Galileo 9 and 10 broadcasting navigation messages

Galileo signalsEurope’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites started broadcasting working navigation messages 29 January. These two satellites were launched together on 11 September last year.

Once safely in orbit and their systems activated, their navigation payloads and search and rescue transponders were subjected to a rigorous process of in-orbit testing, to ensure their performance reached the necessary specifications to become part of the Galileo system.

Radio-frequency measurements of the Galileo signals were made from ESA’s Redu centre in Belgium. The site boasts a 20 m-diameter dish to analyse their signal shape in high resolution. Read more…

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