Galileo is the European Union's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), managed by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) with design and development by the European Space Agency (ESA). It provides highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning services under civilian control with improved positioning and timing information. Galileo offers various services, including an Open Service (OS) for mass-market use, a Search and Rescue (SAR) function, a High Accuracy Service (HAS), and a Public Regulated Service (PRS) for authorized users.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The EUSPA order follows ESA’s order for the launch of four Galileo satellites in October 2021 and will complete the deployment of first-generation Galileo satellites.
The launches of these Galileo satellites will take place from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana.
The European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) selected Arianespace to launch four new Galileo satellites.
A first Galileo launch carrying satellites from a previous order will occur in 2021 and a second Soyuz launch in the first half of 2022 will orbit the first two satellites from the latest EUSPA order.
Three subsequent missions will each orbit two Galileo satellites on Ariane 62 rockets in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Each of the eight Galileo satellites under the EUSPA order was built by OHB System AG in Bremen, Germany and will weigh less than 730 kg.
DielectriX antennas are targeted initially to receive PNT signals from GNSS constellations GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and Beidou.
Arianespace launched two satellites for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system on 2021-12-04.
The 2021-12-04 launch increased the Galileo constellation to 28 satellites in orbit.
Telespazio, part of the joint venture Spaceopal with German space agency DLR that manages Galileo Control Centres, projects a 10-day transfer from launch to the payloads’ final orbit at 23,222 km.
The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and its industrial team manage the Galileo satellites from separation of the launch vehicle onwards as part of the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP).
OHB has a contract to provide 34 Galileo satellites in total.
The launch on 4 December 2021 brought the total number of Galileo satellites launched to 28 satellites.
The EUSPA operations team will maneuver the newly launched Galileo satellites from the dedicated Galileo Control Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany until they are placed into their home orbit at 23,220 km.
The 2021-12-04 mission was the eleventh time Arianespace has performed a launch for the Galileo constellation.
Galileo has been providing initial services since 2016.
The orbit raising for the new Galileo payloads will be followed by 25 days of drift and fine positioning to place the satellites into their operational orbit.
Galileo Launch 11 will allow Galileo to deliver greater accuracy to existing users and open up new market opportunities.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is the design authority for Galileo and is responsible for overseeing its development and procuring satellites and the ground segment.
Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space will build an initial set of next-generation Galileo satellites that aim to start launching in 2024.