ESA procures four new Galileo Second Generation satellites

The contracts have been awarded to Galileo Second Generation prime industries Thales Alenia Space (Italy) and Airbus Defence and Space (Germany), already under contract with ESA since 2021 to build six G2 satellites each. The new contracts were signed on 23 October in Rome, Italy, and on 26 October in Ottobrunn, Germany, respectively.

“With these contracts, ESA and European industry are safeguarding the continuity of Europe’s satellite navigation services, responding to the evolving needs of users, and strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy” said ESA Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity Laurent Jaffart. “These contracts represent an investment in Europe’s ability to navigate its own future, independently and with confidence.”

As Galileo’s system design and qualification authority and prime responsible for system development, ESA has extended the contracts on behalf of the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the satellite navigation system’s service provider, for the benefit of its owner, the European Union.

The four additional satellites, scheduled for delivery in 2031 and launch right after, will be identical to the ones already under development.

Equipped with fully digital navigation payloads, a better-performing navigation antenna, inter-satellite link capacity and an advanced atomic clock configuration, G2 satellites will provide more robust and reliable positioning, navigation and timing.

The first twelve G2 satellites are well under way, with development and qualification activities approaching completion. System integration and compatibility testing campaigns are now in full swing, paving the way for integration and flight testing of the first satellites in 2027, ahead of the first G2 launch in 2028.

Second Generation satellites will join the 38 First Generation satellites, all but four of which have already been launched. The two generations will integrate seamlessly, helping to sustain Galileo’s capabilities in the long term while increasing its resilience and enabling a wide array of new services and applications that will benefit users in Europe and around the world.

Thales Alenia Space CEO, Hervé Derrey: “The award of these two additional satellites reaffirms the confidence that the European Commission, EUSPA and ESA place in Thales Alenia Space to deliver one of Europe’s most ambitious space programs. Leveraging our unmatched expertise in satellite constellations and navigation systems, we are proud to contribute to the next generation of Galileo, enhancing its performance, security and resilience. This program is a cornerstone of Europe’s strategic autonomy and will help shape the future of space-based navigation services for decades to come.”

Airbus Defence and Space Head of Space Systems, Alain Fauré: “This latest award for two additional sophisticated Galileo satellites underscores Airbus’ satellite manufacturing expertise. We are committed to delivering these next generation satellites which are vital to augment navigation capabilities for European security and defence and wider societal benefits.”

About Galileo

Galileo is currently the world’s most precise satellite navigation system, serving billions of users around the globe since entering Open Service in 2016. All smartphones sold in the European Single Market are guaranteed Galileo-enabled. In addition, Galileo is making a difference across the fields of rail, maritime, agriculture, financial timing services and rescue operations.

The Galileo programme is managed and funded by the European Commission under the EU Space programme. ESA leads the design, development and qualification of the space and ground systems and acts as technical launch authority. ESA is also entrusted with research and development activities for the future of Galileo within the EU programme Horizon Europe. The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) acts as the service provider, responsible for managing the Galileo launches, bringing the satellites into service and overseeing their operation and connecting to the market and application needs.

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