Red letter day for the Galileo program

Tuesday 12 March 2013 was a red letter day for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system and also a matter of great pride for GMV. On that date the first ever Galileo-only position fix was performed when the navigation message calculated by the Orbit & Synchronisation Processing Facility (OSPF), forming part of the mission’s ground segment, was sent to the first four orbiting satellites of the Galileo constellation.

A Galileo-only position fix represents a huge stride forward for the whole program, proving that the system works before going ahead with the launch of the remaining 26 satellites.

Both ESA and other research organizations were able to obtain Galileo-only position fixes in diverse points of Europe, taking advantage of the few hours a day when the 4 currently orbiting satellites are flying over Europe. 

Bearing in mind that the system is only partly deployed as yet, the 10-meter accuracy range meets all expectations and bodes well for compliance with performance targets after full deployment of the whole constellation.

Galileo is Europe’s satellite navigation program, designed by ESA to offer more precise vehicle navigation systems, safer banking operations and improved road-transport management including search-and-rescue services. Once it is up and running Europe will no longer depend on the US GPS system.

The first two Galileo satellites (FM1 and FM2) were launched and inserted into orbit in October 2011, followed by the third and fourth (FM3 and FM4) the following year, in October 2012. All are orbiting at the same height but in different planes to maximize global coverage.

GMV is playing a crucial role in the Galileo European satellite navigation program; it has participated right from the start of the program in design and specification tasks and has also supplied 5 key elements of the system’s ground segment (OSPF, IPF, SPF, FDF and MNE).

The complete Galileo system will comprise a constellation of 30 satellites (27 operational and 3 in reserve) distributed in three orbital planes at an altitude of 23,222 km above the earth, inclined at an angle of 56 degrees to the equator.