A pair of Galileo satellites were launched into medium Earth orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday (Sept. 18). This launch marked the 13th in the Galileo programme, expanding the constellation to include satellites number 31 and 32, designated FM26 and FM32.
The new satellites will be positioned at 23,222 km and will undergo testing before becoming operational. Javier Benedicto, ESA Director of Navigation, stated, “With the deployment of these two satellites, Galileo completes its constellation as designed, reaching the required operational satellites plus one spare per orbital plane.”
“The remaining 6 Galileo First Generation satellites are expected to be deployed in 2025 and 2026 for increased robustness and performance, solidifying the resilience and reliability of Galileo and enabling uninterrupted delivery of the world’s most precise navigation,” he added.
ESA, along with manufacturer OHB, has developed and tested 38 Galileo satellites since the programme’s inception. To date, 32 have been launched, with the remaining six scheduled for deployment in 2025 and 2026. These will be launched in pairs using ESA’s new Ariane 6 rocket, following its successful inaugural flight in July. Additionally, Galileo’s Second Generation (G2) satellites, currently under development by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space, will also be launched by ESA’s heavy-lift rocket.
The programme has seen significant progress in 2024. In April, satellites 29 and 30 were launched and entered service in September after a successful test phase. Galileo also introduced its new Public Regulated Service (PRS) signals in April, which provide encrypted navigation for authorised users and enhance Europe’s autonomy in satellite navigation.
Furthermore, in April, Galileo’s ground segment, Europe’s largest and a key infrastructure, was upgraded without impacting users. This upgrade is part of preparations for the Galileo Second Generation, which will feature digital navigation payloads, electric propulsion, enhanced navigation antennas, inter-satellite links, and advanced atomic clocks.
Since its Open Service launch in 2017, Galileo has become the world’s most precise satellite navigation system, serving over four billion smartphone users globally. All smartphones sold in the European Single Market are now Galileo-enabled, and the system supports various sectors, including rail, maritime, agriculture, financial timing services, and rescue operations.
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