Galileo: the Future of Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System between Innovation and Security

Translated by Alessandra Fumagalli 

April 28, 2024, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) added two more satellites in orbit following theirlaunch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9, with a total amount of 30 satellites. 

Initially, the European Satellite Agency (ESA) should have made its launch on Ariane 6, from the Spatial Center in the French Guyana. However, the Agency had to ask SpaceX, the American Spatial Agency, funded by Elon Musk, signing a partnership that will probably guarantee other launches.  

Galileo: The European Navigation System that challenges the American GPS. 

Galileo has been operational since 2016 and it represents the main pillar of the European independence from the American Global Positioning System (GPS). It was created by a European technological innovation, it gives ultra-precise timestamps, which are essential to a better synchronization and security of several infrastructures, like rail, maritime, heath, energy, agriculture and financial operations. But the benefits can also be seen in rescue operations, which are more efficient. Therefore, even if it was conceived for civil aims, Galileo can be used also in the military field, since it is able to transmit cripto messages. 

An hybrid project

A program funded by the European Union, Galileo is managed by the European Commission. The technical development is managed by the European Spatial Agency (ESA), instead, an intergovernative organization. The EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) manages:

• Galileo Open Service (OS): the most commonly used service we all rely on, in our phones, cars and smartwatches.
• Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR): allows the location of people in distress in less than 10 mins and accuracy error below 5km.
• Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS): offering an accuracy down to 20cm for applications such as autonomous cars or drones.
• Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS): for authorised users of EU Member States, such as defence, civil protection services, customs officers, police, etc. This system is particularly robust and fully encrypted to provide service continuity during emergencies or crisis situations.

By 2025, a new Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS) will be on the way. This service will provide direct earnings to populations confronted with the consequences of natural or human-made disasters. 

On the horizon of the Secondo Generation of Galileo Satellites 

New services are on the way. The Satellite Critical Design Review about the Second Generation of Galileo Satellites sets the begin of a new goal. These satellites will be launched on Ariane 6, which is a collaboration between Airbud Defense and Space (Germany), and Thales Alenia Space (Italy). Specifically, the second generation satellites are electrically powered, designed to be easily reconfigured in orbit and able to cross-check the performances, so they can reduce their dependence on ground-based systems. They are also equipped with a more powerful navigation antenna, more developed mechanisms for protecting signals from spoofing or jamming, and ultra-precise atomic clocks. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Galileo Systems and ESA’s continuous development are meeting EU and world citizens needs, reinforcing the European spatial policy, whose aim is to guarantee security, autonomy and giving space to EU as one of the main actors in the spatial fields.   

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