Galileo concept
(click to view full)
The USA’s Global Positioning System service remains free, but the European Union is spending billions to create an alternative under their own control. In addition to civilian GPS (the Open Service), services to be offered include a Safety of Life Service (SoL) for civil aviation and search and rescue, a paid Commercial Service with accuracy greater than 1 meter, plus a Public Regulated Service (PRS) for use by security authorities and governments. PRS/SoL aims to offer Open Service quality, with added robustness against jamming and the reliable detection of problems within 10 seconds.
Organizational issues and shortfalls in expected progress pushed the “Galileo” project back from its originally intended operational date of 2007 to 2014/15. After a public-private partnership model failed, the EU gained initial-stage approval for its plan to finance the program with tax dollars instead of the expected private investments. Political issues were overcome in 2007 by raiding other EU accounts for the billions required, but by 2011, it became clear that requests for billions more in public funds were on the way. Meanwhile, doubts persist in several quarters about Galileo’s touted economic model. Security concerns regarding China’s early involvement, and its potential Beidou-2/Compass projects, have been equally persistent, and there is good reason to expect that the constellation has a military purpose. On a European political and contractual level, however, Galileo is now irreversible.
This article offers background, players, developments, contracts, and in-depth research links for Galileo, as well as linked EU programs like GIOVE and EGNOS.
The Galileo Program
The EU is hoping Galileo will provide an alternative to the Pentagon-controlled Global Positioning System (GPS), and also tap a growing worldwide demand for satellite communications that Galileo’s advocates claim could be worth as much as EUR 300 billion by 2020. Many outside analysts are dubious about the commercial potential, but security and national services have helped the EU recruit other countries to join the list of Galileo partners. International signatories so far include: China (2003, now also a competitor), India (2005), Israel (2004), Morocco (2005), Norway (2009, in ESA but not an EU member), Saudi Arabia (2005), South Korea (2006), and the Ukraine (2005).
The Galileo System
Galileo concept
(click to view full)
Global coverage requires a minimum of 24 satellites, and the USAF prefers at least 27, in order to maintain proper coverage around the globe from Medium Earth Orbit. In 2008, for instance, the USAF had 31 total NAVSTAR GPS satellites deployed.
The Galileo constellation was originally envisaged as up to 28 satellites plus the last 2 Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites, for a total of 30, but appears to be headed for a constellation of 26: 22 Galileo satellites, plus all 4 IOVs. The ESA’s December 2009 multi-award contract arrangement actually has options for up to 32 satellites, but the initial constellation for service launch in 2014/15 will be just 22: 4 IOV and 18 Galileo.
Each Galileo satellite will broadcast 10 different navigation signals, making it possible for Galileo to offer the open (OS), safety-of-life (SOL), commercial (CS) and public regulated services (PRS). At this point, Galileo is scheduled to provide 3 early services in 2015:
1. An initial free Open Service, using the L1 signal broadcast at 1575.42 MHz, and the new L5 open signal (1164-1215 MHz: E5a, E5b), in any combination. The new open signal specification will be shared with the USA’s GPS-IIF and GPS-III, which could create an explosion of competitive, cheap, and highly accurate receivers. OS also includes 3 data-less channels, and pilot tone ranging codes.
2. An initial “Safety-of-Life” service, for applications like search and rescue, or civil aircraft navigation. SOL services are like a data channel within the open signals, based on open signal measurements and integrity data carried in special OS messages. The L5 standard is often referred to as a “safety of life” standard.
3. An initial Public Regulated Service, which uses 2 encrypted signals (1575.42 MHz E2-L1-E1 band and 1278.75 MHz E6 band), with controlled encrypted access for specific users like governments.
The follow-on Commercial Service, with under 1-meter accuracy, will combine 2 encrypted E6 signals in the 1278.75 MHz band, for improved accuracy and data throughput rates, plus the ability to include commercial data within the open signals.
Galileo Elements
GIOVEs concept
(click to view full)
Initial GIOVE-A and GIOVE-B technology demonstration and test satellites were launched in 2005 and 2008. GIOVE-A has now completed testing and been “parked” in a higher orbit, while GIOVE-B has remained active far beyond its anticipated 2-year life cycle.
The first 2 operational Galileo IOV (In-Orbit Validation) satellites were Galileo PFM (Protoflight Model) and FM2 (Flight Model 2). They were launched together on Oct 21/11, aboard the 1st Soyuz rocket launch from Arianespace’s facility in Kourou, French Guiana. The 2 follow-on Galileo IOVs were launched on schedule in October 2012, and another 18 Full Operational Capability satellites are now under contract.
To get the satellites into space, the ESA will be relying on Arianespace’s launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana. The fleet workhorse, however, will be made up of Russian Soyuz rockets. Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of ESA referred to it as “the legendary Russian launcher that was used for Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin.” That’s something of a backhanded compliment, but it does underscore the Soyuz medium rocket’s long history and proven design. Before Galileo, the Soyuz had only been launched from Russian sites in Baikonur, Kazakhstan or Plesetsk, Russia, with a maximum payload of 1.7 tonnes. French Guiana is much closer to the equator, which boosts the rockets’ payload to 3 tonnes. Each Soyuz rocket carries a French Fregat-T upper stage for extended range and precise placement, and can launch 2 Galileo satellites into orbit.
Toward the end of the project, Galileo satellites may fly on the French Ariane 5 heavy rocket. The program initially planned to fit up to 6 satellites on this rocket, but they’ve had to scale back to an Ariane 5 ES Galileo variant, whose special dispenser will carry just 4 satellites into their target orbits. The new launcher variant is expected to be re-qualified and ready by the second half of 2014, just in time for the initial constellation’s final launches.
On the ground, the Galileo constellation will rely on 2 Ground Control Centres (GCC) at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and Fucino, Italy. They’ll be supported by 4 Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) stations on Kiruna, Sweden in Europe; Kourou, French Guiana in South America; Noumea, New Caledonia in the South Pacific; and St Denis, Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.
The other support elements are the Galileo Security Facility (GSF), responsible for managing access to Galileo’s encrypted services, and the Galileo Mission Segment (GMS). GMS is a global network of 16 Galileo Sensor Stations (GSS) to monitor the signals from the satellites, a chain of 5 Up-Link Stations (ULS) around the globe to uplink navigation data to the satellites, parallel communications networks, and a complex sequence of processing elements that include the 2 main GCCs.
Galileo: Structure & Costs
Tracking…
(click to view full)
Galileo’s assets are owned by the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), a public body that is a EU community agency. The European Global Navigation Satellite System encompasses Galileo, as well as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), which overlays on top of GPS and GLONASS to improve their accuracy from about 20m to 2m. When Galileo is complete, GNSS would expand its operating reach, to provide a worldwide positioning and timing infrastructure.
The private Galileo Operating Company (GOC) is a management vehicle. Galileo was originally envisaged as a commercial venture, and 2/3 of its cost was originally expected to be covered by private financing. As the EU dithered and kept changing the terms for competitors, cooperation and planning broke down entirely. In response, the EC shifted to 100% public financing, as part of a new structure and model intended to get the project moving again.
The financial commitment required is unclear, because the exact extent of public involvement throughout the project remains unclear. As the UK’s Parliamentary Transport Committee’s November 2007 report put it, with classic British understatement: “The current estimated costs for the Galileo programme in its entirety are less transparent than might be wished for.” That’s still true. Based on credible reports, and EC requests to date, it’s safe to place the minimum cost to European taxpayers at EUR 21.2 billion for the constellation, required ground systems, and 20 years of operation: EUR 3.7 billion (1.3 + 2.4) allotted for the initial phase, another 7 billion requested to finish Galileo and operate the system for 6 years (vid. Nov 30/11 entry), plus EUR 10.5 billion for 14 more years, at the EUR 750 million per year cost cited in a German government report (vid. Oct 7/10 entry).
Since the EC now wants to transfer Galileo’s ongoing operation to the public sector, those operating costs may rise. If that scenario comes to pass, the constellation expands beyond 22 satellites, or satellite issues crop up, Galileo’s cost will grow. Meanwhile, the all-public sector model that the EC is pushing for is unlikely to raise significant revenues, unless other EU branches use their regulatory power to impose fees and force Galileo usage, instead of relying on free GPS signals. Which would constitute a tax by any other name.
The 7 key contract segments issued by the ESA for the Galileo system, and their costs to date, have included:
Feb. 2012: EUR 310 million. 8 more satellites from OHB System (Germany/UK), Ariane 5 modifications by EADS Astrium, and a launch option from Arianespace (France).
June 2011: Galileo Mission Segment, Galileo Security Facility – EUR 281 million to Thales Alenia Space (France/ Italy).
June 2011: Full Operational Capability Ground Control Segment – EUR 74.3 million to EADS Astrium (UK).
Oct. 2010: Galileo Operations – EUR 194 million to SpaceOpal JV (Germany/Italy). For work to 2014.
Jan. 2010: Satellite launches – EUR 397+ million to Arianespace (France). 5 Soyuz launches, + options for 2 Soyuz launches or 1 Ariane-5 launch.
Jan. 2010: System Support Services for integration and validation – EUR 85 million to Thales Alenia Space (France/ Italy)
Dec. 2009: Up to 32 Galileo Satellites – Must be bid by OHB System AG (Germany/UK) and EADS-Astrium GmbH (Germany). OHB won an initial EUR 566 million, 14-satellite contract in Jan. 2010.
Galileo: Timeline
If Galileo’s services begin in 2015, they will be almost 8 years late based on the initial plan, 2 years late based on the July 2008 reboot as an EU-funded public project, and a bit more than a year late based on the January 2010 initial contracts.
Galileo: A Military Dimension
ASMP-A4 on Rafale
(click to view full)
As far back as 2007, a Deutsche Welle report had stated that:
“The system will remain under civilian control but it is possible that the military, security sector or police will be able to use it, bringing in more money.”
The program has always has a police/public dimension; shifting the project’s emphasis in that direction, and adding a military dimension, is a likely first resort once billions have been spent, but revenues fall embarrassingly short. Whether Europeans would be sanguine about, for instance, Chinese police in Tibet relying on Galileo is an open question. Yet this may well be the inevitable result of the present agreement.
On the international front, there are lingering concerns in the USA, Japan, et. al. that some partners intend to use Galileo as the backbone for GPS-targeted weapons. The 2009 comments by OHB-System’s CEO that the French intended to use it as a component of nuclear targeting could only fan those concerns, notwithstanding the Gallileo contractor’s subsequent denials, and their firing of the CEO who made those remarks.
Navstar Constellation:
GPS Block IIA, IIR/M, IIF
(click to view full)
The other concern, expressed both within and beyond Europe, is that players like China may simply appropriate Galileo’s technical signals profile, using the knowledge gained from their early involvement and other sources. China’s Compass-Beidou already uses the same spectrum as Galileo’s encrypted Public Regulated Service, making the Galileo system a collateral damage hostage if an adversary blocks Chinese MILSAT signals.
The original US-EU disagreement over Galileo concerned the threat that Galileo might do this very thing to the Navstar GPS “M-Code”. An agreement between the USA and EU has averted this possibility, but Galileo remains wide open to similar 3rd party mischief. See the Additional Readings section, below, for more details and developments in this area.
Contracts and Key Events
2014
VS09 launch
Aug 22-23/14: Problematic launch. The VS09 launch on a Soyuz MT booster goes well, but NPO Lavochkin’s Fregat upper stage fails to place the 1st Full Operational Capability satellites in the correct orbit:
“The targeted orbit was circular, inclined at 55 degrees with a semi major axis of 29,900 kilometers. The satellites are now in an elliptical orbit, with excentricity of 0.23, a semi major axis of 26,200 km and inclined at 49.8 degrees.”
Uh oh. Satellites like the USA’s AEHF-1 hardened comsat have been able to correct placement failures, but Arianespace doesn’t seem to be focusing on that in releases. Stephane Israel, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, said:
“Our aim is of course to fully understand this anomaly. Everybody at Arianespace is totally focused on meeting this objective. Starting Monday, Arianespace, in association with ESA and the European Commission, will designate an independent inquiry board to determine the exact causes of this anomaly and to draw conclusions and develop corrective actions that will allow us to resume launches of Soyuz from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in complete safety and as quickly as possible.”
Former ESA Inspector General Peter Dubock will chair the investigative board, and Roscosmos will have a liaison via Deputy Director General of TsNIImash Alexander Daniliuk. Sources: Arianespace, “Galileo satellites experience orbital injection anomaly on Soyuz launch: Initial report” | ESA, “Soyuz Galileo launch: injection anomaly” | Spaceflight Now, “Inquiry into Galileo launch anomaly to focus on Fregat” | Arianespace, “VS09 flight: Arianespace names independent inquiry commission”.
FOC Launch fail
Aug 20/14: Ariane 5 contracts. The European Space Agency (ESA) signs a contract with Arianespace for 3 Ariane-5 ES heavy rocket launches, each of which will send 4 Galileo FOC satellites into orbit. That’s double the capacity of the Soyuz launcher, and those 12 satellites should help get the constellation up and running more quickly. The initial launch is supposed to take place in 2015. Sources: Arianespace, “Arianespace serves the Galileo constellation and Europe’s ambitions in space with the signature of three new launch services using Ariane 5 ES”.
3 Ariane launches
Aug 13/14: FOCs joined. Arianespace joins Europe’s first 2 Galileo FOC (Full Operational Capability) satellites on a 2-sided dispenser system. The next step is mating to their Soyuz Fregat upper stage, followed by encapsulation in their composite fairing. The 730 kg birds “Doresa” and “Milena” are named for children who were among those winning a 2011 painting competition, and the platforms will be orbited by Arianespace during the VS09 mission on Aug 21/14. Sources: Arianespace, “Europe’s initial operational Galileo navigation satellites are integrated for their Arianespace Soyuz launch”.
2012 – 2013
Galileo concept
(click to view full)
Dec 2/13: FOC 1 & 2. The first Full Operational Capability Galileo satellite has completed thermal vacuum testing at ESA’s ESTEC Test Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. Thermal–vacuum testing on the 2nd Galileo FOC model will begin early in 2014, and the 2 are scheduled to launch together in mid-2014 to join the existing 4 IOV satellites in orbit. Sources: ESA, “ESA’s new breed of Galileo endures weeks of simulated space”.
July 3/13: SBAS. The Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) Interoperability Working Group agrees a common SBAS message standard, based on dual-frequency multiconstellation (DFMC) signals from up to 4 constellations post-2020: US GPS, EU Galileo, Russia’s Glonass, and China’s Compass/Beidou-2. That would help to create more precise and reliable GPS references, without having to use the military M-Code. The ESA’s “Experts agree satellite augmentation standard to gird globe” says that:
“Two solutions have been studied in parallel, one by ESA and one by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). Both have been compared, with a final single definition to be made before the end of this year.”
May 3/13: Sync me. The 4 Galileo IOV satellites have begun broadcasting the 50 nanosecond offset (GGTO) between the Galileo and GPS constellations. That would create up to 15m of error, unless the time offset is known by the receiver itself, which can then align all observations to a single time scale.
The determination methods and interface design were agreed on a preliminary basis between the Galileo Project and the US Naval Observatory back in 2003. Source: ESA, “Galileo and GPS ‘synchronise watches’: new time offset helps working together”.
GGTO sync with GPS
March 12/13: The ESA:
“Europe’s new age of satellite navigation has passed a historic milestone – the very first determination of a ground location using the four Galileo satellites currently in orbit together with their ground facilities.
This fundamental step confirms the Galileo system works as planned.”
The constellation needed 4 satellites to make a position fix in 3 dimensions. At present, however, accuracy was only 10m – 15m. Sources: “Galileo fixes Europe’s position in history”.
1st 3D position fix
Jan 25/13: SBAS. More than 50 of the specialists overseeing the world’s 5 regional satnav augmentation systems (EU’s EGNOS, India’s GAGAN, Japan’s MSAS, Russia’s SDCM, USA’s WAAS/CWASS) met at Toulouse, France for the latest meeting of the Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems Interoperability Working Group (SBAS IWG). Source: ESA, “Russia and India join global satnav augmentation meeting”.
Nov 5/12: Delays. The project will be delayed several months, while the contractors work to harmonize the software on OHB AG’s new Galileo FOC satellites with that on board the initial 4 Galileo IOV satellites that are already in orbit. Those were made by a consortium of EADS Astrium and ThalesAleniaSpace, which explains the need for ThalesAleniaSpace engineers to reinforce the project (q.v. Oct 29/12). It also explains the reason for 2015 as the beginning of service.
Meanwhile, China has launched 12 GNSS satellites, without resolving their dispute over spectrum clashes with Galileo PRS (q.v. Sept 20/12). Sources: Space News, “Software Harmonization Issues Could Delay Galileo Deployment”.
Oct 29/12: Forced payment. EC VP Antonio Tajani discussed blame for the delays in Europe’s Galileo, and said that OHB AG would face financial penalties per the contract. Even a full penalty payment won’t finance the year-long delay, however, esp. since 10-15 ThalesAleniaSpace engineers were sent to OHB by the ESA as reinforcements. With respect to the collapse of Galileo’s obviously flawed economic model, the EU’s 1st resort is hardly a surprise:
“Tajani also said he has asked his staff to study options favoring the use of Galileo in Europe, “including a regulatory option that would require the use of Galileo, based on the example of [the automotive emergency service] eCall. The results of the study should be known in early 2014 and the commission will then make its decision.”
He adds that early services might not be available until 2015. ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain has promised to deliver an updated Galileo schedule with 3 launches in 2014, but there aren’t going to be any launches in 2013. That would create a constellation of 10 satellites: 4 IOV and 6 FOC. Unfortunately, Galileo needs 18 to begin. Sources: Space News, “European Space Agency, OHB Blamed for Galileo Delays; Financial Penalties Forthcoming”.
Oct 12/12: IOV 3 & 4 launch. A Soyuz ST-B launcher operated by Arianespace lofts IOV-3 and IOV-4 into orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Sources: ESA, “Deployment of Europe’s Galileo constellation continues”.
IOV 3 & 4 launch
Sept 20/12: China Syndrome. During a summit in Brussels, Belgium, China and the EU agree to take their spectrum dispute over Beidou-Compass and Galileo PRS to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Which has no power to impose a regulatory ruling, because their sharing of the spectrum doesn’t create an outright conflict.
Even if it could regulate, China has 11 satellites in orbit already, and is launching more quickly. Galileo will have 4 IOV satellites in space already, with 6 full satellites slated to launch in 2013, and at least 4 four more to follow by the end of 2014. By the time any ITU ruling is issued, this probably won’t be fixable. Sources: Space News, “China and Europe Taking Their Navigation Dispute to ITU”.
EU-China spectrum dispute to ITU. Won’t help.
Aug 17/12: IOV 3 & 4. Arianespace says that work to prepare for the launch of the 3rd and 4th validation satellites is underway, has the two sats have been delivered in French Guiana. The dual launch is currently scheduled for Oct 8/12.
Meanwhile the Air Force is pondering whether to use dual or triple launches for its GPS III satellites, envious of the cost-effectiveness enjoyed by their European and Chinese competitors.
June 14/12: Sub-contractors. Orolia Group’s Swiss Spectratime division of Switzerland announces that it will build atomic clocks for the 8 Galileo FOC follow-on satellite orders, under a contract valued at EUR 14 million euros ($18 million). It’s a follow-on to their EUR 20 million contract in 2011, for the first 14 satellites, and their work on the 4 IOV satellites as part of ThalesAleniaSpace’s team.
Immediate work is just an authorization to proceed but that the final contract will be completed and signed in a few weeks.
They’re a very experienced provider in this area, and have also provided less-sophisticated atomic clocks for China’s Beidou-Compass GNSS constellation. Sources: Space News, “Spectratime To Build More Atomic Clocks for Galileo”.
April 26/12: IOV fit for duty. Astrium confirms that the first 2 IOV sats have successfully passed tests and have begun full in-orbit operations.
Feb 2/12: Tranche 2 orders. The ESA signs a series of Galileo-related contracts, worth EUR 310 million. They accelerate the Galileo program slightly, and set the beginning of service to 2014, if all contracts are completed on time. That’s a lot later than the original 2007 plan, but earlier than the 2016 or so that was feared just a couple years ago.
A EUR 250 million order to the OHB consortium will build another 8 Galileo satellites. EADS Astrium is the losing bidder, but its subsidiary Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, UK is building the navigation payloads. When added to the Jan 7/10 order, this places 22 satellites under contract with OHB: 4 Galileo IOV satellites, and 18 standard Galileo satellites. That’s enough for the initial constellation.
ESA also signed 2 contracts with France’s EADS Astrium. The EUR 30 million in contracts pays them to modify the more powerful Ariane 5 ES rocket to an Ariane 5 ES Galileo variant. Its special dispenser will carry 4 satellites into their target orbits, instead of launching just 2 aboard the Soyuz medium-lift rockets. The new launcher variant is expected to be requalified and ready by the second half of 2014.
The 3rd contract set involves an initial EUR 30 million launch option with Arianespace, who operates the rockets. ESA | EC | SSTL.
8 more satellites, Rocket mods, Launch option
Jan 25/12: Industrial. EADS Astrium subsidiary Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, Surrey, UK hosts a ceremony to open its new Kepler Building manufacturing facility, based beside the company’s headquarters. SSTL is responsible for Galileo’s navigation payloads. SSTL | ESA.
2010 – 2011
Liftoff!
(click to view full)
Nov 30/11: New Framework, More Money. The European Commission proposes a new financing and governance framework for the Galileo and EGNOS programs, from 2014-2020. The EC proposes to earmark EUR 7.0 billion (currently about $9.4 billion) to guarantee the programs’ completion, and run the space and terrestrial infrastructures, the necessary replenishment/ replacement activities, certification procedures, and provision of services until 2020.
The proposal would also delegate system management to the European GNSS Agency (GSA), while delegating deployment management to the European Space Agency. This would replace the Oct 25/10 operating contract with the Finmeccanica/ Thales/ DLR SpaceOpal joint venture, which runs until 2014.
A cynic might say that this was the program opponents warned about (vid. the Nov 12/07 British report), and the EC denied, when the program needed member approval in 2007. Galileo has shifted from a public-private partnership that wasn’t supposed to support itself via business revenues, deployed by 2007, to a cut-down EUR 10+ billion, taxpayer-financed project, with government assuming management risk, deployed by 2014 at the earliest. At the same time, sunk commitments, and the EC’s structure, make it nearly impossible to cancel the project, or to deny new requests. EC | GSA view.
More money needed
Oct 21/11: 1st Launch! The first pair of Galileo In-Orbit Validation satellites are successfully lofted into their 23,222 km orbit, by the first Russian Soyuz vehicle ever launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The satellites being controlled by a joint ESA and CNES French space agency team in Toulouse, France in preparation for handover to the DLR/Telespazio SpaceOpal joint venture.
The Soyuz VS01 flight with its Fregat-MT upper stage is operated by Arianespace. The Soyuz used by Arianespace at the Spaceport adds a new digital control system, which also enables the use of an enlarged ST-type payload fairing. Its new site near the equator nearly doubles its payload capacity to 3 tonnes, relative to its 1.7 tonne capacity from its usual sites in Baikonur, Kazakhstan or Plesetsk, Russia.
The next 2 Galileo satellites are scheduled for a (slightly delayed) fall 2012 launch, to complete the IOV quartet. ESA | EC | Arianespace.
IOV 1 & 2 launched
Sept 12/11: The first Galileo navigation satellite lands at Cayenne Rochambeau Airport in French Guiana, packed within a protective, air-conditioned container aboard an AN-124 transport aircraft. The launch is scheduled for Oct 30/11. ESA.
June 22/11: Ground services contracts. The European Space Agency issues the last 2 major Galileo contracts.
EADS Astrium is the prime contractor for Galileo’s Full Operational Capability Ground Control Segment (GCS). The contract value is EUR 73.5 million, and Astrium’s UK facility will lead the effort. They’ll supervise expansion and full equipping of the existing Ground Control Centres at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany; and Fucino, Italy; and the addition of 2 more Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) stations on Noumea, New Caledonia in the South Pacific; and St Denis, Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. The TTCs are joining the existing stations at Kiruna, Sweden in Europe; and Kourou, French Guiana in South America.
The Fucino GCC will also function as a temporary backup option for the 4 forthcoming Galileo In-Orbit Validation operational satellites, which begin launching in August 2011. Astrium already has experience as the initial GIOVE-B test satellite’s GCS provider, and that satellite remains on orbit following its April 2008 launch. Once the other Galileo satellites join the next 4 GIOVEs in space, Astrium UK will be responsible for their on-orbit validation “housekeeping,” including correct positioning and maintenance of the satellites’ orbits.
The other major “WP” contract is a 4-year EUR 281 million contract with Thales Alenia Space in France, to handle Galileo’s ground-based Galileo Mission Segment (GMS) and the Galileo Security Facility (GSF), and ensure the formatting of navigation information for broadcast by the satellites.
As its name implies, the Galileo Security Facility (GSF) will be responsible for managing user access to Galileo’s encrypted Public Regulated Service (PRS). The GMS is a global network of 16 Galileo Sensor Stations (GSS) to monitor the signals from the satellites, a chain of 5 Up-Link Stations (ULS) around the globe to uplink navigation data to the satellites, parallel communications networks, and a complex sequence of processing elements that include the 2 Galileo Control Centers (GCC) in Fucino and Oberpfaffenhoffen. EC | ESA | EADS Astrium | Thales Alenia Space.
Ground Services contracts
June 18/11: A pair of Soyuz ST-B launchers from Samara, Russia, and their accompanying Fregat-MT upper stages from the factory in Moscow, arrive at Kourou harbour in French Guiana, after shipping from St. Petersburg on June 3/11 aboard MN Colibri. The next step for the launch vehicles will be the Launcher Flight Readiness Review on July 21/11. Success would authorize rocket assembly, and launcher deployment.
Because of the launch facility’s location near the equator, the system’s geostationary launch capacity rises from a standard 1.7 tons at Baikonur, Kazakhstan or Plesetsk, Russia, up to 3 tons. Each launcher will hold 2 satellites, allowing these rockets to deploy the first 4 Galileo In-Orbit Validation spacecraft. ESA.
May 23/11: The ESA, Arianespace, and the European Commission announce that the launch of the first 2 Galileo GIOVE satellites is planned for Oct 20/11, from Arianespace’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. They’ll ride aboard a Russian Soyuz launcher, marking the inaugural Soyuz flight from its new launch facilities there. ESA.
April 21/11: EGNOS upgrade. Thales Alenia Space signs a EUR 54.5 million (about $80 million) contract with the European Space Agency to upgrade the ground systems for the EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System) GPS overlay. The 28-month hardware and software contract will upgrade critical ground subsystems where spare parts have become hard to find, and provide upgrades to the current network.
The next-generation EGNOS platforms will be hosted on SES’ commercial satellites, which would have trouble working with the current ground system. So the hardware and software is getting an advance update, before the existing payloads are retired around 2014. Thales also touts this upgrade as a step toward a larger goal: the Galileo ground segment contract, which is expected in a few months. Thales Alenia Space | Space News.
EGNOS GS upgrade
EGNOS has been deployed since 2005, in order to improve GPS accuracy and signal acquisition. The system consists of 38 reference stations, a data processing center, 6 uplink stations to send data to 3 geostationary satellites, and a control-command station. Its “Safety of Life” service was formally declared available in March 2011, and EGNOS can now be used by civilian aircraft during the landing phase, without ground guiding equipment.
April 4/11: Politics. The European Commission issues a statement concerning its initial vision of an “integrated Space Policy to be developed with the new legal basis provided by [Article 189 of] the Lisbon Treaty.” Galileo and EGNOS are the 1st items mentioned, but it also discusses a European Space Industrial Policy, the European Earth Monitoring Programme (GMES), and a European Space Situation Awareness monitoring system. EU | Aviation Week.
Jan 18/11: EC progress report. The European Commission releases its progress report on Galileo, per Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 683/2008. So far, the EU contribution to the Galileo and EGNOS programs for 2007-2013 amounts to EUR 3.4 billion, plus a contribution from Norway. That funds EUR 600 million for completion of Galileo development, about EUR 2.4 billion for the deployment phase, and about EUR 400 million for the operation of Galileo’s EGNOS predecessor. The program expects to issue ground infrastructure, and additional equipment & facilities contracts in 2011, to complement the 4 major contracts already issued.
The EC’s release is breezily cheerful about the program, but the full report [PDF] itself is frank. Security issues involving China re not settled, delays of up to 4 years must be expected, and there is a funding shortfall of about EUR 1.9 billion under current arrangements. Excerpts below:
“With regard to China, the question of the overlay of frequencies is a major problem for the security of the EU and the Member States; despite the commitment of the Member States and the Commission it has not yet been resolved, and a solution will not be found without political support from those players and from the European Parliament.
“…The additional cost of the development phase amounts to some [EUR] 500 million in total. At the request of the Member States the Commission has agreed to bear this cost… The price of launch services, for example, has entailed an additional cost of more than [EUR] 500 million by comparison with the original budget [due to lack of competition]… Moreover, the requirements of Galileo’s SoL(Safety of Life) service are having an impact on the programme’s funding needs, particularly with regard to the ground infrastructure. Studies to redefine this service are under way in order to adapt it to the new needs of users and new technological developments. The system also needs to be simplified, its risks and costs need to be reduced and its GPS compatibility needs to be improved. The decisions on these issues will have to be taken over the next few years.
… Taking into account the cost overruns arising in the development and deployment phases (see 1.2.2. above), the Commission considers that additional funding of [EUR] 1.9 billion is needed to complete the infrastructure (see 2.2.1. below). The estimated average annual operating costs are around [EUR] 0.8 billion (see 2.2.2. below). Appropriate financing mechanisms should therefore be established… the Commission7 has not so far proposed the allocation of additional funding for the programmes under the current financial framework. This will entail probable delays of four years in completing the full infrastructure of the Galileo programme, and also additional costs.
In the absence of additional funding before 2014, the deployment strategy for the programmes must be redefined, incorporating the trade-offs between service performance and the associated costs on the one hand, and the need to provide a service of sufficient quality to maintain a place on the market on the other.”
Sources: EC release | EC full report [PDF] | Agence France Presse | BBC.
EC Report
Jan 13/11: The Norwegian paper Aftenposten is poring over the WikiLeaks archive of US diplomatic cables, and discovers a 2009 incident wherein OHB-System CEO Barry Smutty told American diplomats that in his opinion Galileo was “a waste of EU taxpayers’ money championed by French interests” – mostly French military interests. Despite its promotion as a civilian project, Galileo’s encrypted government-users-only “public regulated navigation” signal will allow French nuclear missiles and smart bombs to strike accurately, even if the USA withholds GPS constellation support. He also reportedly discussed the massive scale of the French government’s industrial espionage, which is well known in global security circles.
This is all rather embarrassing to the firm, even if true, or perhaps because it is true. OHB-System won the contract to build the first 14 operational Galileo satellites (vid. Jan 7/10). Step 1 was a release distancing themselves from the reports, on Jan 14/11:
“Immediately after the Wikileaks documents were published, I therefore asked Mr. Smutny on the basis of the provisions of his service contract if there was any truth in the statements attributed to him. Mr. Smutny declared in a statutory oath that he did not make the statements attributed to him. I have no knowledge causing me to question this declaration. The OHB Group expressly repudiates all the statements attributed to Mr. Smutny in the WikiLeaks documents and affirms its full and complete commitment to “Galileo” as the European Union’s first major space technology infrastructure product.”
On Jan 17/11, however, the company’s board decided to remove Smutny from his post, “with immediate effect”:
“The General Assembly and the Supervisory Board saw no alternative to this decision in order to effectively avert any further damage to the company on the part of customers, political representatives and the public at large. Marco R. Fuchs, the CEO of the parent company OHB Technology AG, will additionally be assuming the position of CEO of OHB-System AG until further notice and will share the duties of Mr. Smutny with the Members of the Management Board, Dr. Fritz Merkle and Frank Negretti… thanked Mr. Smutny for the work that he had performed over the past 18 months, particularly stressing the fact that last year had been the most successful in the company’s history.”
See also: Aftenposten || Agence France Presse | Deutsche Welle | NY Times | The Register | Wall Street Journal.
WikiLeaks gets OHB CEO fired
Dec 20/10: Infrastructure. Telespazio’ inaugurates a 5,000 square meter Galileo Control Centre (GCC) at its Fucino Space Centre, which already handles the in-orbit operation of GIOVE-B. The new GCC build-out is part-financed by Italy’s Abruzzo region, and will eventually host more than 100 specialist operators and engineers. Telespazio [PDF].
Oct 25/10: Operating contract. The ESA signs a EUR 194 million contract with SpaceOpal GmbH, to operate the Galileo system until 2014. SpaceoOpal is a joint undertaking between Telespazio, itself a 67% Finmeccanica/ 33% Thales JV, and Germany’s Gesellschaft fur Raumfahrtanwendungen (GfR) mbH, which was set up by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Other industrial partners will include CNES, ESA/ESOC, RSS, SES, Astrium (ASV), T-Systems and Vitrociset.
This contract covers all operations up to the launch of the constellation’s first 18 satellites. SpaceOpal will be responsible for supplying in-orbit (IOT) services, the operational and logistics services necessary to manage and control the Galileo constellation and mission, and the launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) services, from the initial In-orbit validation (IOV) phase until the system reaches “Full Operational Capability” (FOC).
These services will be provided through the 2 Galileo Control Centres (GCCs): in Italy, at Telespazio’s Control Centre in Fucino, and in Germany, at the Space Centre of the DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. ESA | Finmeccanica’s Telespazio [PDF].
Interim operations contract
Oct 7/10: Costs up. Germany’s Der Spiegel:
“According to a report by the German government, which has been seen by the Financial Times Deutschland, Brussels now calculates that the project will face further delays and cost [EUR 1.5 -1.7 billion]… extra… “All in all, it is assumed, based on the currently available estimates, that the operating costs will exceed direct revenues, even in the long term,” reads the government report, according to the newspaper. Even when the expected annual revenues of [EUR] 100 million ($139 million) are taken into account, the EU would still need to subsidize the project to the tune of [EUR] 750 million per year. The annual operating costs for the system had up to now been assessed at [EUR] 250 million.”
New cost estimates
March 24/10: Testing. Eurocopter and Funkwerk Avionics have successfully completed a helicopter test flight with an EC145 in the Galileo test bed GATE in Berchtesgaden, Southern Germany. The test flight was observed by IFEN GmbH, the operator of the GATE test bed. The test marked the first time that signals from the future European satellite navigation system Galileo were used for navigation in a helicopter. In the Galileo Test and Development Environment (GATE), transmission antennas on six mountain peaks simulate the Galileo signals. In recent months, these pseudolites had been upgraded to the current Galileo signal definition. EADS release.
March 12/10: China syndrome. The EC is reportedly about to remove the Galileo IOV satellites’ Chinese-built search-and-rescue payloads. A similar technology-independence policy will also prevent them from buying search-and-rescue terminals from Canada’s Com Dev, despite Canada’s status as an associate ESA member and Com Dev’s strong market position. As one might imagine, IOV launch dates are slipping.
China’s disinvitation once the EU changed Galileo into an in-house project led a Chinese official at the March 10/10 Munich Satellite Navigation Summit to ask when China’s cash investment in Galileo would be returned. The answer? Basically never. Which is also China’s answer to European insistence that China move Compass-Beidou off of the same spectrum frequencies as Galileo’s encrypted Public Regulated Service. China says “I’m sorry, Davido, I can’t do that,” and has already begun deploying their planned system of 35 satellites, with full deployment expected by 2020. Sources: Space News, “European Officials Poised To Remove Chinese Payloads From Galileo Sats”.
Jan 7/10: Initial contracts. The European Commission awards 3 of the 6 contracts for Galileo’s initial operational capability. The contracts are expected to be signed in the next few weeks between the chosen companies and the European Space Agency, on behalf of the European Commission, and the remaining 3 contracts (Ground mission infrastructure, Ground control infrastructure and Operations) should be awarded by mid-2010. Contracts 5 & 6 would actually take until mid-2011.
Germany’s OHB System AG wins the first EUR 566 million order for 14 Galileo satellites, under the multi-award framework where it competes with Germany’s EADS Astrium GmbH. The first satellite is expected in July 2012, followed by 1 satellite every 1.5 months until March 2014.
Arianespace wins a EUR 397 million contract to cover 5 Soyuz launches, each carrying 2 satellites. The first launch is scheduled for October 2012 from Kourou, French Guiana, and will be followed by 4-5 launches per year. The contract also contains options for either 2 additional Soyuz launches (carrying 2 satellites each) or 1 Ariane 5 launch (carrying 4 satellites).
Italy’s ThalesAleniaSpace wins an EUR 85 million contract for system support services, and they will support the European Space Agency in its the integration and the validation of the Galileo system. The framework contract runs from 2010 – 2016, but this 1st work order runs from 2010 – 2014. It includes system, performance, signal-in-space, security, and ground segment engineering; system assembly and integration, and product assurance work.
The EC also sets the timing for the provision of the different Galileo services: the Open Service, the Public Regulated Service and the Search And Rescue Service are targeted for early 2014. The Safety-of-Life Service and the Commercial Service will be tested as of 2014, and will be provided at an indefinite date “as Galileo reaches full operational capability with a constellation of 30 satellites.” EC announcement | Deutsche Welle.
Initial contracts: 14 satellites, 5+ launches, initial support
2008 – 2009
EGNOS concept
(click to view full)
December 2009: Competition change. A framework contract is signed with both OHB System AG and EADS-Astrium GmbH, for the eventual provision of a maximum of 32 Galileo satellites. This is a multi-award/ double-souring contract, in which satellite orders will be put up for bid, and awarded to the best value of the 2. The EC chose the double sourcing to lower risks, particularly in terms of delivery timings, and to increase their flexibility. Source.
Oct 28/09: Aviation Week reports that European Union agencies and the European Space Agency are looking to to help create a less fragmented set of civil and military space programs, via an ESA/EDA/EC body called the Structured Dialogue on Space and Security:
“…a road map should be drawn up to survey user requirements for space-based security missions, identify existing dual-use capabilities that could meet these requirements, and determine gaps that need to be addressed. The process could lead to definition of a single system, encompassing nearly all of Europe’s security capabilities except signals intelligence, early warning and other pure-defense systems… efforts to deploy the Galileo satellite navigation system’s encrypted Public Regulated Signal have been stymied by opposition from some countries to using the civilian system for military purpose… the [Gianus] European Space Responsiveness System, seeks to [link] navigation, satellite communications, Earth observation and other capabilities (existing and new) into a single, coherent, user-driven system.”
Oct 22/09: Just 22? The Galileo satellite navigation system could be forced to operate with just 26 satellites. The EC says that it’s just ordering the satellites in 2 batches of 22 and 6, but it does not give a date for the planned second stage buy. The commission has also asked both bidders to quote prices for 8 and 16 satellites, in case it decides to divide the work. Space News | Flight International | GPS World | Aviation Week.
Oct 9/09: Delays. The ESA confirms that Galileo in-orbit validation (IOV) satellites scheduled to launch in 2010 have missed their first pad date, due to delays in both the satellites and the introduction of Russian Soyuz rockets at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. The 4 satellites are now scheduled for 2 launches, in November 2010 and early 2011. The initial launch date was later moved again, to October 2011. GPS World.
Both launches had been set for earlier in 2010, but ESA has encountered difficulties with the satellites, built by a consortium led by Astrium Satellites and Thales Alenia Space. Introduction of Russia’s Soyuz rocket at Europe’s Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, on the north coast of South America, has also been repeatedly delayed.
Oct 2/09: Competition. The European Commission asks EADS Astrium and OHB System for their “best of final offers,” which must be submitted by Nov 13/09. The procurement decision is expected by the end of the year. The solicitation involves just 22 satellites instead of 28, however, which would be added to the 4 GIOVE validation satellites to create a 26-satellite constellation. As Flight International reports on Oct 22/09:
“OHB chief operating officer Fritz Merkle told Flightglobal that the operational constellation would now be the 22, the first four satellites launched in 2010 and the two Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE) test satellites already in orbit. The original plan had been to have 30 in orbit, not counting GIOVE A and B. The Commission did not comment on whether the reduced spacecraft numbers is an attempt to stave off potential cost increases for Galileo, which has had an unchanged [EUR] 3.4 billion ($5 billion) price tag for years. However, according to the Commission: “We are ordering in two batches. The first batch will contain 22 and the second one, six. Total 28 [with] two on the ground [as spares]. A decision still needs to be taken when we will order the second batch.”
Oct 2/09: GIOVE-A parked. GIOVE-A, the first Galileo test satellite, completes its mission and is repositioned to a parking orbit 113 km/ 70 miles above the Galileo constellation’s planned orbit. Built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and launched in December 2005, GIOVE-A was designed for a 2-year lifespan of securing international frequency filings, collecting data to characterize Galileo’s medium Earth orbit, and demonstrating atomic clocks and other key system technologies. It remains operational, and will continue broadcasting test signals from its new position.
With respect to Galileo more broadly, the first 4 “In-Orbit Validation satellites” are under construction, and are set for 2 launches in 2010 and 2 in 2011. System, satellite and launch awards for the other 26 Full Operating Capability satellites are expected by the end of 2009, if the project’s 2013 operational deadline is to remain intact. Contract awards for satellite and mission control and operations are expected in 2010. MundoGeo | Aviaiton Week.
GIOVE-A done and parked
Oct 1/09: EGNOS up. The European Commission declares that EGNOS’ freely available satellite navigation signal is operationally ready as an open and free service, improving the accuracy of GPS to within 1-2 meters inste