New Galileo satellites declared operational

Photo: ESA

Galileo satellites 29 and 30 have reached their target positions at an altitude of 23,222 km and are now fully operational three months after being launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, by SpaceX. These new additions to the Galileo constellation are now active and provide navigation signals to users.

Both satellites have been positioned on the same orbital plane, one of three that comprise the Galileo constellation. With this latest addition, two of the three Galileo orbital planes are fully populated, bringing the constellation close to completion. The next Galileo launch is planned in the coming weeks from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.

The Galileo Service Operator, supported by a team of approximately 30 satellite experts from the European Space Agency (ESA) and satellite manufacturer OHB, conducted early operations at the Galileo Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, under supervision from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Following the initial operations, the satellites entered a drift phase, during which ground teams guided them to their final positions, which was reached on June 24.

On August 21, 2024, ESA, OHB and payload manufacturer SSTL evaluated the in-orbit test results, confirming that the satellites had not experienced any degradation during launch. ESA, in collaboration with EUSPA, then validated the satellites’ performance at the system level.