On-orbit experience of the first Galileo satellite, GIOVE-A
- Paper number
IAC-06-B3.6.05
- Author
Mr. Philip Davies, Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Prof. Martin Sweeting, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Martin J. Unwin, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. John Paffett, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Ms. Elizabeth Rooney, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Andy Bradford, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Antonio Garutti, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Mr. Giuliano Gatti, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Year
2006
- Abstract
In July 2005 the European Space Agency (ESA) placed a 28 million Euro contract with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) for the delivery, in 2005, of a Galileo demonstrator satellite named GIOVE-A. GIOVE-A was designed, built and launched in less than 30 months. The satellite carries both ESA-furnished and SSTL-developed payload elements, giving an advanced and flexible capability suited for the missions primary aim of frequency filing and also for technology demonstration, environmental monitoring and signal experimentation. GIOVE-A was launched on the 28th December 2005 into Galileo's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at an altitude of 23,222 km by a Russian Soyuz launcher with a Fregat upper stage. Platform commissioning took a little over a week and on the 12th January 2006, the first Galileo navigation signals were broadcast from GIOVE-A to Earth. The signals were monitored using RAL's 25 metre dish at Chilbolton, Hampshire, UK and also tracked by a Galileo receiver installed at SSTL's control centre in Guildford, Surrey, UK. Thus, the first step towards the securing of Galileo's frequencies for Europe was taken. A range of signals and transmission combinations continued to be broadcast by GIOVE-A to complete the formal ITU filing process. The success of GIOVE-A heralds the arrival of Europe's Galileo system - Europe's contribution to the future Global Navigation Satellite System. The mission also marks SSTL's debut "beyond LEO" with the first flight of SSTL's GMP platform targeted at the MEO, GEO and interplanetary orbits. The GIOVE-A mission demonstrates that SSTL's rapid-response and low-cost small satellite philosophy can be translated into larger, higher profile programmes such as Galileo. The paper discusses the design and construction of the satellite and its ground segment. Following launch we give an overview of the activities performed to generate the Galileo signal-in-space and an overview of the use of the satellite to de-risk the ongoing Galileo programme.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-B3.6.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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