The first Galileo Second Generation hardware has begun testing, with test versions of the satellites’ navigation payloads undergoing evaluation by Airbus Defence and Space at their Ottobrunn facility in Germany and by Thales Alenia Space at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands.
Busy urban centres represent key areas of demand for satellite navigation services, but dense concentrations of high buildings mean that satnav signal reception may sometimes fall short. So ESA is issuing a call for ideas to make up for such service gaps through the use of imaging and 3D mapping technology – ahead of a dedicated workshop on 6 July.
Update: NAVISP webinar replay now added below
Busy urban centres represent key areas of demand for satellite navigation services, but dense concentrations of high buildings mean that satnav signal reception may sometimes fall short. So ESA is issuing a call for ideas to make up for such service gaps through the use of imaging and 3D mapping technology – ahead of a dedicated workshop on 6 July.
Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation constellation is set to grow. Later this year the first two out of 12 ‘Batch 3’ Galileo satellites will be launched by Soyuz from French Guiana. Their last step on the way to launch is situated beside sand dunes on the Dutch coast: the ESTEC Test Centre, which is Europe’s largest satellite test facility.
Acting on behalf of the European Commission, ESA has signed two contracts for an overall amount of €1.47 billion, to design and build the first batch of the second generation of Europe’s Galileo navigation satellites.
For the first time in more than three years, on 26 May 2021, a total lunar eclipse coincided with a supermoon. The 'super blood moon' was unfortunately only visible across Australia and parts of the US and East Asia. But ESA, in cooperation with the Australian science agency, CSIRO, brought this celestial treat to European viewers through its live webcast "Lunch with the Moon".
Catch the replay of this unique event, which includes live footage of the Moon from across the globe and conversations with experts on the science of lunar eclipses, what would happen if there were no Moon, fascinating insights into Europe's future at the Moon including the Moonlight project, lunar robots and robotics, a future human lunar base and much more.
For the first time in more than three years, on 26 May 2021, a total lunar eclipse coincided with a supermoon. The 'super blood moon' was unfortunately only visible across Australia and parts of the US and East Asia. But ESA, in cooperation with the Australian science agency, CSIRO, brought this celestial treat to European viewers through its live webcast "Lunch with the Moon".
Catch the replay of this unique event, which includes live footage of the Moon from across the globe and conversations with experts on the science of lunar eclipses, what would happen if there were no Moon, fascinating insights into Europe's future at the Moon including the Moonlight project, lunar robots and robotics, a future human lunar base and much more.
In the programme, the moment of “totality” – when the Moon is fully shrouded in Earth’s shadow – begins around 1:46:00.
Schedule
02:10 Deep-space communication from Australia
13:00 All about lunar eclipses
29:10 What if there were no Moon?
43:20 Europe goes forward to the Moon
58:45 Moonlight: Connecting Earth with the Moon
1:13:20 Humans at work in a lunar setting
1:28:20 Lunar robots
1:43:45 Science and future exploration
A bold proposal to create a commercially viable constellation of lunar satellites has taken a step closer.
Central Italy – already home to an ambitious national autonomous driving research initiative – will be the site of the ESA-backed P-CARS laboratory, intended to certify positioning devices for use within driverless cars.
Video: How Galileo works, for its 2 billion global users
Today is 406 Day – the annual campaigning day to spread awareness of the importance of emergency beacons, and the satellites that pick up their signals, including Europe’s Galileo constellation. As well as letting people across the world find their way, Galileo also serves to detect SOS messages and relay them to authorities, contributing to saving many lives.
ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder mission to the Moon will carry an advanced satellite navigation receiver, in order to perform the first ever satnav positioning fix in lunar orbit. This experimental payload marks a preliminary step in an ambitious ESA plan to expand reliable satnav coverage – as well as communications links – to explorers around and ultimately on the Moon during this decade.
ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder mission to the Moon will carry an advanced satellite navigation receiver, in order to perform the first ever satnav positioning fix in lunar orbit. This experimental payload marks a preliminary step in an ambitious ESA plan to expand reliable satnav coverage – as well as communication links – to explorers around and ultimately on the Moon during this decade.
With 26 satellites in orbit and more than two billion receivers in use, Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system has made a massive impact. But our continent has another satnav system that has been providing safety-of-life services for ten years now – chances are that you’ve benefited from it without noticing.
With 26 satellites in orbit and more than two billion receivers in use, Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system has made a massive impact. But our continent has another satnav system that has been providing safety-of-life services for ten years now – chances are that you’ve benefited from it without noticing.
In a first for any satellite navigation system, Galileo has achieved the first positioning fix based on open-service navigation signals carrying authenticated data. Intended as a way to combat malicious ‘spoofing’ of satnav signals, this authentication testing began at ESA’s Navigation Laboratory – the same site where the very first Galileo positioning fix took place back in 2013.
In a first for any satellite navigation system, Galileo has achieved a positioning fix based on open-service navigation signals carrying authenticated data. Intended as a way to combat malicious ‘spoofing’ of satnav signals, this authentication testing began at ESA’s Navigation Laboratory – the same site where the very first Galileo positioning fix took place back in 2013.
In a first for any satellite navigation system, Galileo has achieved a positioning fix based on open-service navigation signals carrying authenticated data. Intended as a way to combat malicious ‘spoofing’ of satnav signals, this authentication testing began at ESA’s Navigation Laboratory – the same site where the very first Galileo positioning fix took place back in 2013.
The coming of 5G promises much more than simply better-than-wi-fi smartphone connectivity; it should enable a wide range of novel services, including asset tracking, autonomous driving and drone flying as well as the internet of things. Highly precise localisation is needed to make such innovations feasible however. ESA has led a major project assessing the potential of 5G and satellite navigation in combination and next month a webinar will make its initial findings public.
We are looking for Global Navigation Satellite System experts to join our team and support the design and development of the next generation of satellites for Europe’s GNSS System, Galileo. If you have experience in GNSS systems, space systems, project planning or Galileo architecture read on to find out more.
Galileo has started testing Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) in its signal-in-space, allowing the first-ever OSNMA-protected position fix to be successfully computed. Testing will continue over the next months, ahead of a so-called ‘public observation’ phase. This is the first-ever transmission of authentication features in open GNSS signals of a global navigation system.
A new ESA-supported wide-bandwidth satnav antenna has been designed to receive both satellite and augmentation signals from anywhere in the sky, even down to just a couple of degrees above the horizon.
An ESA-supported effort put an intelligent road up in Finnish Lapland through its paces, assessing its suitability for testing autonomous vehicles in some of Europe’s most challenging driving conditions.
The end of 2020 marked a notable milestone for Europe’s Galileo First Generation, as the programme chalked up its 500th ESA Engineering Board.
Just like your mobile phone, satellites themselves rely on satellite navigation to find their way in space. Thanks to a new ESA-developed receiver, the recently-launched Sentinel-6 is making use of Europe’s Galileo as well as the US GPS system, a fact set to sharpen the accuracy of its sea level rise measurements.
A sailor in the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world yacht race faced disaster in the Southern Ocean as raging waves pounded his vessel apart. But he was saved thanks to the search and rescue antennas aboard Europe’s Galileo satellites, part of the international Cospas-Sarsat rescue system.
Lunar exploration relies on the extensive expertise that is on hand across ESA. As a new lunar economy emerges, it will create new opportunities involving robots, habitats and transportation. Missions to the Moon share similar communication and navigation needs that could be satisfied using a constellation of lunar satellites.
Under the agency’s "Moonlight" initiative, ESA is exploring with industry the necessary technical solutions along with delivery models for the provision of lunar telecommunication and navigation services.
Lunar exploration relies on the extensive expertise that is on hand across ESA. As a new lunar economy emerges, it will create new opportunities involving robots, habitats and transportation. Missions to the Moon share similar communication and navigation needs that could be satisfied using a constellation of lunar satellites.
Under the agency’s "Moonlight" initiative, ESA is exploring with industry the necessary technical solutions along with delivery models for the provision of lunar telecommunication and navigation services.
Read the background article on Moonlight to learn more about the initiative.
A day of ferry trips between Finland and Estonia became some of the best documented voyages in maritime history. Cameras, sensors, radio and satellite navigation receivers and even microphones recorded every instant of the crossings over the Baltic, gathering raw data for a new ESA-led project applying AI to the situational awareness of shipping – as an important step to full autonomy.
5G will offer more to users than simply ultrafast communications; this better-than-wifi mobile standard should also deliver enhanced positioning to users. Accordingly, it is set to enable a wide range of potential applications from continuously-tracked smart factories to swarms of high-precision drones and assisted or self-driving cars.
Video: The world's most accurate navigation signals
ESA has launched a call for proposals to demonstrate the capabilities of new 5G cellular networks to support positioning and timing applications to complement satellite navigation, just as today’s smartphones harness cellular data to support their positioning services.
Just as we navigate our way around Earth's surface using the connection between our phones and navigation satellites high above us, our missions use the very same satellites to navigate their way in space.
Satellite navigation is precise, reliable and available continuously around the globe, but overreliance on it presents a clear and present danger to the smooth passage of maritime trade, concludes a major ESA-backed study.
Satellite navigation is precise, reliable and available continuously around the globe, but overreliance on it presents a clear and present danger to the smooth passage of maritime trade, concludes a major ESA-backed study.
With more than nine tenths of driving deaths linked to human error, the coming wave of autonomous vehicles could potentially save many lives – as well as slashing congestion and pollution levels. An ESA-backed project in the UK borrowed a key operating concept from aviation to bring the safety of driverless cars closer to that of flying – statistically the safest form of transport.
With more than nine tenths of driving deaths linked to human error, the coming wave of autonomous vehicles could potentially save many lives, as well as slashing congestion and pollution levels. An ESA-backed project in the UK borrowed a key operating concept from aviation to bring the safety of driverless cars closer to that of flying – statistically the safest form of transport.
With 26 satellites now in orbit and over 1.5 billion smartphones and devices worldwide receiving highly accurate navigation signals, Europe’s Galileo navigation system will soon become even better, ensuring quality services over the next decades.
Satellite navigation is a big part of our daily lives. How do our phones and cars know where to go? Nicola de Quattro, head of engineering and innovation at Vitrociset Belgium, explains how sat nav works along with its present and future applications in this episode of Meet The Experts. Find more episodes in the series here.
Satellite navigation is a big part of our daily lives. How do our phones and cars know where to go? Nicola de Quattro, head of engineering and innovation at Vitrociset Belgium, explains how sat nav works along with its present and future applications in this episode of Meet The Experts. Find more episodes in the series here.
A new monitoring system developed through an ESA-backed project works like a ‘bodyguard’ for satellite navigation in use at strategic or safety-critical sites. Known as GIDAS, the scalable system immediately detects, identifies and pinpoints satnav interference sources in its vicinity.
ESA has long-established plans to create a commercial lunar satellite network and now seeks expressions of interest from companies prepared to build and operate it.
As European governments plan their phased recoveries from the lockdown states triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the positioning delivered through satellite navigation is becoming more important than ever before. Location is a key requirement when attempting to monitor and map the spread of a disease and satnav is one of the main tools supporting this.
As European governments plan their phased recoveries from the lockdown states triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the positioning delivered through satellite navigation is becoming more important than ever before. Location is a key requirement when attempting to monitor and map the spread of a disease and satnav is one of the main tools supporting this.
As European governments plan their phased recoveries from the lockdown states triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the positioning delivered through satellite navigation is becoming more important than ever before. Location is a key requirement when attempting to monitor and map the spread of a disease and satnav is one of the main tools supporting this.
In response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, ESA’s Directorate of Navigation has shifted to teleworking while also ensuring the continuity of essential tasks, in particular the continued delivery of positioning, navigation, and timing services of the European satellite navigation system Galileo and the augmentation system EGNOS.
In response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, ESA’s Directorate of Navigation has shifted to teleworking while also ensuring the continuity of essential tasks, in particular the continued delivery of positioning, navigation, and timing services of the European satellite navigation system Galileo and the augmentation system EGNOS.
All satellite navigation is not created equal. Airliners and other safety-critical classes of users employ ‘augmented’ satnav signals, which possess additional precision plus ongoing reliability guarantees. These signals are generated by regional systems based around the globe. The teams responsible for them met recently at Delhi in India to coordinate their future development.
All satellite navigation is not created equal. Airliners and other safety-critical classes of users employ ‘augmented’ satnav signals, which possess additional precision plus ongoing reliability guarantees. These signals are generated by regional systems based around the globe. The teams responsible for them met recently at Delhi in India to coordinate their future development.
ESA’s NAVISP programme is helping invent the future of positioning, navigation and timing beyond current satellite navigation technology. The Agency’s NAVISP Industry Days welcomed a guest speaker from the US government, sharing details of a parallel effort she is overseeing from the other side of the Atlantic.
ESA’s NAVISP programme is helping invent the future of positioning, navigation and timing beyond current satellite navigation technology. The Agency’s NAVISP Industry Days welcomed a guest speaker from the US government, sharing details of a parallel effort she is overseeing from the other side of the Atlantic.
More than 120 representatives of companies and research institutions across Europe met at ESA’s NAVISP Industry Days, discussing dozens of projects being supported by the Agency’s newest programme, fostering innovation and competitiveness across the European positioning, navigation and timing sector.
More than 120 representatives of companies and research institutions across Europe met at ESA’s NAVISP Industry Days, discussing dozens of projects being supported by the Agency’s newest programme, fostering innovation and competitiveness across the European positioning, navigation and timing sector.
As well as providing global navigation services, Europe’s Galileo satellite constellation is contributing to saving more than 2000 lives annually by relaying SOS messages to first responders. And from now on the satellites will reply to these messages, assuring people in danger that help is on the way.
As well as providing global navigation services, Europe’s Galileo satellite constellation is contributing to saving more than 2000 lives annually by relaying SOS messages to first responders. And from now on the satellites will reply to these messages, assuring people in danger that help is on the way.
As well as providing global navigation services, Europe’s Galileo satellite constellation is acontributing to saving more than 2000 lives annually by relaying SOS messages to first responders. And from now on the satellites will reply to these messages, assuring people in danger that help is on the way.
A miniature CubeSat has become the first satellite to perform Galileo-based position fixes in orbit using a commercial satnav receiver.
The Galileo satellite navigation system has been providing Initial Services for three years now. Meanwhile Europe’s other satnav system has marked its tenth anniversary: EGNOS has been delivering enhanced positioning to users across our continent, including safety-critical services such as aircraft landings for a growing number of European airports.
As France’s top rugby players scrum, run and tackle they are being tracked by more than just TV cameras and the watching eyes of the crowd. Satnav-based tracking devices between their shoulder blades are keeping tabs on their position and performance – and helping to safeguard their health.
The ability to know where you are and where you’re going is central to today’s society, and will only grow more crucial in future. ESA’s NAVISP R&D programme is building on Europe’s technical accomplishments to develop new future positioning, navigation and timing technologies and services – its annual Industry Days next January will give a snapshot of the programme’s progress.
There are at the moment more than five billion satnav devices on Earth. Along with smartphones and mobile receivers, this figure includes networks of fixed receiver stations, used to boost service accuracy. A new ESA-led project will harness these networks to provide an ongoing overview of satnav performance from the global to national to regional scale.
There are more than five billion satnav devices on Earth. Along with smartphones and mobile receivers, this figure includes networks of fixed receiver stations, used to improve accuracy. An ESA-led project will harness these networks to provide an ongoing overview of satnav performance from the global to national and regional scale.
Europe’s Galileo constellation is doing more than providing global navigation services, it is also saving lives. As a real life demonstration of Galileo’s search and rescue capability, a volunteer was cast away in a lifeboat off the Belgian coast, then activated an emergency beacon for rescue.
Europe’s Galileo constellation is doing more than providing global navigation services, it is also saving lives. As a real life demonstration of Galileo’s search and rescue capability, a volunteer was cast away in a lifeboat off the Belgian coast, then activated an emergency beacon for rescue.
Europe’s Galileo constellation is doing more than providing global navigation services, it is also saving lives. As a real life demonstration of Galileo’s search and rescue capability, a volunteer was cast away in a lifeboat off the Belgian coast, then activated an emergency beacon for rescue.
Europe’s Galileo constellation is doing more than providing global navigation services, it is also saving lives. As a real life demonstration of Galileo’s search and rescue capability, a volunteer was cast away in a lifeboat off the Belgian coast, then activated an emergency beacon for rescue.
A pair of testbed vehicles went out on the road in Germany to simulate the way we are all likely to be using 5G positioning services in the future. The field test focused on assessing the performance of highly-precise ‘hybrid’ satellite/terrestrial positioning for autonomous vehicles, drones, smart cities and the Internet of Things.
A pair of testbed vehicles went out on the road in Germany to simulate the way we are all likely to be using 5G positioning services in the future. The field test focused on assessing the performance of highly-precise ‘hybrid’ satellite/terrestrial positioning for autonomous vehicles, drones, smart cities and the Internet of Things.
A pair of testbed vehicles went out on the road in Germany to simulate the way we are all likely to be using 5G positioning services in the future. The field test focused on assessing the performance of highly-precise ‘hybrid’ satellite/terrestrial positioning for autonomous vehicles, drones, smart cities and the Internet of Things.
A pair of testbed vehicles went out on the road in Germany to simulate the way we are all likely to be using 5G positioning services in the future. The field test focused on assessing the performance of highly-precise ‘hybrid’ satellite/terrestrial positioning for autonomous vehicles, drones, smart cities and the Internet of Things.
Your phone or satnav receiver routinely picks up signals from navigation satellites in order to tell you precisely where you are. But have you ever thought what happens to those satnav signals afterwards? A foresighted ESA inventor had the idea of using them as a tool for observing the Earth.
Your phone or satnav receiver routinely picks up signals from navigation satellites in order to tell you precisely where you are. But have you ever thought what happens to those satnav signals afterwards? A foresighted ESA inventor had the idea of using them as a tool for observing the Earth.
Your phone or satnav receiver routinely picks up signals from navigation satellites in order to tell you precisely where you are. But have you ever thought what happens to those satnav signals afterwards? A foresighted ESA inventor had the idea of using them as a tool for observing the Earth.
Your phone or satnav receiver routinely picks up signals from navigation satellites in order to tell you precisely where you are. But have you ever thought what happens to those satnav signals afterwards? A foresighted ESA inventor had the idea of using them as a tool for observing the Earth.
Satellite navigation is useful in the air as well as on the land and sea. But stringent safety requirements mean the signals from space need to be supplemented using an additional system to be usable by the aviation sector. An international group of experts meets regularly to ensure such regional augmentation systems work together on a seamless basis.
Satellite navigation is useful in the air as well as on the land and sea. But stringent safety requirements mean the signals from space need to be supplemented using an additional system to be usable by the aviation sector. An international group of experts meets regularly to ensure such regional augmentation systems work together on a seamless basis.
Satellite navigation is useful in the air as well as on the land and sea. But stringent safety requirements mean the signals from space need to be supplemented using an additional system to be usable by the aviation sector. An international group of experts meets regularly to ensure such regional augmentation systems work together on a seamless basis.
Satellite navigation is useful in the air as well as on the land and sea. But stringent safety requirements mean the signals from space need to be supplemented using an additional system to be usable by the aviation sector. An international group of experts meets regularly to ensure such regional augmentation systems work together on a seamless basis.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signals. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signals. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signals. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signals. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signals. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Europe’s students and young researchers were challenged to design a smartphone app to take advantage of Galileo’s dual-frequency signal. The winning entries should soon be available to the public.
Summertime in Europe equals festivals: people gathered together for music and arts under an open sky. But the very popularity of these events can lead to problems. A new ESA-backed project makes use of smartphones – that essential festival accessory – to help reduce overcrowding, avoid overwhelmed facilities and keep friends together.
Summertime in Europe equals festivals: people gathered together for music and arts under an open sky. But the very popularity of these events can lead to problems. A new ESA-backed project makes use of smartphones – that essential festival accessory – to help reduce overcrowding, avoid overwhelmed facilities and keep friends together.
Summertime in Europe equals festivals: people gathered together for music and arts under an open sky. But the very popularity of these events can lead to problems. A new ESA-backed project makes use of smartphones – that essential festival accessory – to help reduce overcrowding, avoid overwhelmed facilities and keep friends together.
Summertime in Europe equals festivals: people gathered together for music and arts under an open sky. But the very popularity of these events can lead to problems. A new ESA-backed project makes use of smartphones – that essential festival accessory – to help reduce overcrowding, avoid overwhelmed facilities and keep friends together.
Satellite navigation has become a global utility, but one that is vulnerable to interference. ESA’s new NAVISP research and development programme is prioritising research into countering jamming and spoofing of satnav signals, with partner companies exploring varied approaches.
Satellite navigation has become a global utility, but one that is vulnerable to interference. ESA’s new NAVISP research and development programme is prioritising research into countering jamming and spoofing of satnav signals, with partner companies exploring varied approaches.
An ESA-backed project is harnessing satnav to insert an intelligent sense of place and time to power grids, to provide early warning of potentially dangerous electricity network failures.
An ESA-backed project is harnessing satnav to insert an intelligent sense of place and time to power grids, to provide early warning of potentially dangerous electricity network failures.
On Thursday 18 April, you are cordially invited to view the final presentations of ESA’s second Galileo smartphone app competition – to develop an app capable of performing fixes using raw Galileo satnav measurements – as well as put your own vote in for your favourite.
On Thursday 18 April, you are cordially invited to view the final presentations of ESA’s second Galileo smartphone app competition – to develop an app capable of performing fixes using raw Galileo satnav measurements – as well as put your own vote in for your favourite.
The only thing more remarkable than how all of us are walking around with space-grade navigation capability and atomic clock timing precision in our pockets is how much we take all of this for granted. Satellite navigation has changed our lives, triggering a quiet revolution in our society and economy.
The only thing more remarkable than how all of us are walking around with space-grade navigation capability and atomic clock timing precision in our pockets is how much we take all of this for granted. Satellite navigation has changed our lives, triggering a quiet revolution in our society and economy.
The only thing more remarkable than how all of us are walking around with space-grade navigation capability and atomic clock timing precision in our pockets is how much we take all of this for granted. Satellite navigation has changed our lives, triggering a quiet revolution in our society and economy.
The latest four Galileo satellites have been given the green light to begin working alongside the rest of Europe’s satellite navigation fleet, giving a further boost to worldwide Galileo service quality.
The latest four Galileo satellites have been given the green light to begin working alongside the rest of Europe’s satellite navigation fleet, giving a further boost to worldwide Galileo service quality.
The latest four Galileo satellites have been given the green light to begin working alongside the rest of Europe’s satellite navigation fleet, giving a further boost to worldwide Galileo service quality.
A kite-blown science expedition to the interior of Antarctica has made the most southerly positioning fixes yet made with Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system.
A kite-blown science expedition to the interior of Antarctica has made the most southerly positioning fixes yet made with Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system.