GALILEO UPDATE

Galileo satellites locate aircraft by GPS

Galileo satellites have recently achieved first successful in-fl ight tracking of a test machine using aircraft-generated longitude, latitude and altitude. A pair of Galileo test receivers was used aboard the aircraft, the same kind currently employed for Galileo field-testing.

The evaluations were scheduled during periods in November when all four Galileo satellites were visible in the sky. Positioning fixes require at least four satellites. The receivers fixed the airplane’s position and determined key variables such as the position, velocity and timing accuracy, time to first fix, signal-t- noise ratio, range error and range-rate error. Test fl ights were also conducted during takeoff, straight-andlevel fl ight at a constant speed, circling maneuvers, straight-and-level fl ight with alternating speeds, turns with a maximum bank angle of 60 degrees, pull-ups and push-overs, as well as approaches and landings. The satellites also allowed positioning to be carried out at speeds up to 245 knots. www.ainonline.com

European Satellite Navigation Galileo services will start at the end of 2014

Galileo and Copernicus, the EU Earth monitoring programme, are in decisive phases this year. With the launch of six additional Galileo satellites, Europeans will soon be able to enjoy their own satellite navigation system. The first Copernicus satellite launch in March will also enable considerable progress in improving maritime security, climate change monitoring and providing support in emergency and crisis situations. The progress in both programmes was announced by Vice President Antonio Tajani recently. Galileo services should be available, subject to finalising all technical issues, at the end of 2014/beginning of 2015. http://europa.eu/rapid

Czechs to test Galileo satellite system for jamming

The tests of the European Galileo navigation system’s resistance to jamming will take place in one of military training areas in the Czech Republic, Czech Defense Ministry’s spokesman Jan Pejšek told CTK. The Prague-seated agency has assigned the test operation to the Czech National Security Office (NBU), which, on its part, invited the Defense Ministry to cooperate on it because the military has both jammers and training grounds suitable to test Galileo.

ESA says it won’t be penalized for Galileo delays

The European Space Agency will not be subject to financial penalties following the one-year delay in the launch of Galileo satellites because the commission did not sign an industrial contract with the agency for the Galileo work, ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain said recently. Under the European Commission’s agreement with ESA, the commission pays for ESA’s staff costs and ESA acts as technical manager for the program. But the industrial contract to build the coming Galileo satellites was not an ESA-EU affair.

EC Vice President Antonio Tajani in October warned that financial penalties to those building Galileo would cover the cost overruns due to the one-year delay in launching the system. He did not specify the amount, and his remarks appeared to be aimed at ESA as much as the industrial consortium led by OHB AG of Germany and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. of Britain. www.spacenews.com