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The Galileo Open Service (OS) has been upgraded with three new features added to its I/NAV message, one of the four message types broadcast by Galileo satellites. Collectively referred to simply as “I/NAV improvements”, these features are now available to all Open Service users. On 12 August 2023, the gradual process of upgrading the operational Galileo FOC constellation satellites was finalized. The I/NAV improvements are openly accessible through the I/NAV message carried by the E1-B signal.

The testing will cover any of the three I/NAV improvements (SSP, FEC-2, RedCED), that will be tested in laboratories using simulated realistic scenarios, including open sky as well as impaired environments, but also using Signal-in-Space. The tests will allow the participants to have confirmation of the correct implementation of the OSSISICD 2.0. 

The characteristics of the testing campaign are described here. 

The interested participants may be invited to provide their product(s) before 15 November 2023, 15 March 2024 or 15 June 2024 to the premises indicated below according to the terms and conditions that will be communicated by the agency and be ready to provide any remote technical assistance needed during the testing as well as all the necessary interface documentation required for the testing. 

The tests will be executed at the laboratories of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy, and of the European Space Agency ESA/ESTEC in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Each applicant will be assigned by EUSPA to any of the two laboratories depending on the specific conditions and availability.

Express your interest 

If you are interested in participating in the testing campaign above, please express your interest by sending an email at least 15 days before any of the testing windows indicated above (i.e. 30/10/2023, 29/02/2024 and 31/05/2024, 17:00 (Prague local time) respectively) to the following email address: market@euspa.europa.eu. The subject of the email shall be “INAV improvements implementation testing campaign: 3rd call”.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

Trains, contribute only 1% of transport-related pollution, compared to 71% for cars and 12% for planes. They can make a valuable contribution to the fight against climate change and in achieving the Commission’s pledge of climate-neutrality in Europe by 2050. 

This, of course, requires informing and incentivising European citizens not only on the benefits but also on the safety and efficiency of the greenest means of transportation. To improve safety and efficiency of railways various operators across Europe are currently performing upgrades on their operating systems and rail infrastructure.  The Belgian government, for instance, recently announced the mobilisation of 240 million euros to construct and upgrade the rail link between Terneuzen and Ghent with the support of the EU. 

Many of these solutions rely on data and services coming from the EU’s positioning systems Galileo/EGNOS and Copernicus. In the future, rail operators could also be able to utilise satcom or high-speed internet provided by the new multiorbital constellation, IRIS². 

#EUSpace solution for failsafe rail operations 

A recent example of GNSS adoption in rail operations is the innovative odometry solution deployed by the French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom to measure the location and speed of its trains. The company introduced a new sensor type, which fuses satellite information and inertial sensors. The solution is primarily using GNSS Doppler information, derived from Galileo, GPS and GLONASS constellations (configurable). Such use increases the confidence in the resulting measured speed, along with specific algorithms to improve the accuracy of the measured location.

When it comes to managing rail infrastructure, optical data from the Copernicus constellation can provide valuable information on the status of rail tracks and their surrounding environments. For instance, railway operators can evaluate the danger of landslides or soil subsidence near tunnels and railway tracks.

Interested in space and rail? Check this out!

A collective effort 

To highlight the added value of EU Space technologies the European Commission, Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) jointly hosted an event in Madrid, under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency.

The event, attended by more than 300 participants, showcased the collective and synergetic strengths of the EU bodies that boost efficiency, safety, and sustainability in European rail transportation. By merging the EU's vision for a connected transport network, EU-RAIL’s extensive R&I results, EU Space technologies, and ERA's regulatory expertise, we are reshaping the future of rail travel. 

"During this event we committed to improving the European Union’s rail infrastructure by relying on space technologies to ensure the safety of passengers and freight across the Union" said EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa. 

Conclusion of the event can be found here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).