On 22 May 2024, a declaration celebrating the concluding of the Vigil mission contract was signed during the Space Council in Brussels.
The declaration was signed by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and Patrick Wood, Head of Space Systems UK, Airbus Defence & Space in the presence of Andrew Griffith MP, UK Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation.
ESA signed a contract with Airbus Defence & Space UK worth €340 million for the development of its Vigil satellite as its prime contractor. From its unique vantage point in deep space, Vigil will greatly improve our early warning of severe space weather events such as solar storms that may cause disruption on Earth. Vigil will continuously deliver near real-time data on potentially hazardous solar activity before it is detectable from Earth. Vigil’s operational data from deep space will give operators of satellites, power grids and telecommunication systems time to take protective measures, and give human space explorers time to get to safety.