ESA’s GSTB Programme GSTB-V1 is a ground system to test Galileo’s key algorithms using GPS data GSTB-V2 consists of a pair of satellites: –GSTB-V2/A (SSTL) – now known as Giove-A launched in December 2005 –GSTB-V2/B (Galileo Industries) backup satellite in case of launch failures etc. Due to be launched in April GSTB-V2 contract worth £20M awarded to SSTL in July 2003

Giove-A Platform Platform –Dimensions: 1.3m x 1.3m x 1.4m (stowed) –Wet mass: 660kg –Power generation: Sun tracking arrays –Sensors: EHS, ASS, Gyro –Actuators: Wheels, Magnetorquers, Thrusters –Pointing: ±0.55° pitch/roll required (3), ±0.1° achieved; ±2.1° yaw required, ±1.0° achieved –Orbit determination: NORAD, Laser ranging, GPS, reverse GNSS –Propulsion: 90 ms -1 v butane system –TT&C: S-Band –Avionics: SSTL Enhanced Microsat

Giove-A Navigation Payload Custom payload designed by SSTL Payload items supplied by ESA through contracts with third parties: –Alcatel Espacio (Spain) – Clock Monitoring & Control Unit –Norspace (Norway) – Frequency Generation & Upconvertor Unit –Alenia (Italy) – Wide-band Radiating Antenna System –Laben (Italy) – Navigation Signal Generation Unit –Temex (Switzerland) – Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (stable to 10 ns per day)

Giove-A Environmental Payloads MERLIN – QinetiQ –Cosmic-Ray LET Spectra –Proton Flux –Total Ionising Dose –Electrons/ Deep Charging Currents CEDEX – UniS/SSTL –Cosmic-Ray LET Spectra –Proton Flux –Dose-Rate Induced Photocurrents CEDEX Space Weather Monitor

Giove-A Experimental Payloads GPS Receiver – SSTL Laser Retro-Reflector Laser Retro-Reflector Array SSTL Miniature Space GPS Receiver CEDEX Radiation Monitor MERLIN Radiation Monitor GPS Receiver Antenna

Giove-A Payload Architecture Payloads: Navigation, Environmental and Experimental

Giove-A AIT Antenna Payload Bay Avionics Bay Propulsion Bay Giove-A Flight Model 1 st Integration at the Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey, Summer 2005

Launch! Launch Day: 28 th December :19 UTC Soyuz launch vehicle from Baikonur Fregat upper stage to inject Giove-A into the correct Galileo orbit

LEOP Communications were established with the SSTL ground- station at the University of Surrey immediately upon separation. Telemetry received at Surrey, Bangalore, India and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in conjunction with the 12m satellite tracking antenna at RAL, showed all systems were nominal. The solar arrays deployed perfectly, and initial operations were completed ahead of schedule.

First Navigation Signals Europe’s first Galileo navigation signals were transmitted by Giove-A at 17:25 UTC on 12 th January The signals were commanded on from Surrey and the Galileo signals were received by the 25m antenna at the CCLRC Chilbolton Observatory, Andover, UK and the ESA Earth-Station in Redu, Belgium The Galileo E5 and L1 channel signals were successfully decoded by a Galileo Navigation Receiver at Surrey...

Conclusions In July 2003 SSTL embarked on its most complex project ever – the design and construction of a totally new 600kg+ satellite for use in Medium Earth Orbit. Surrey rose to the challenge and, just 24 months later, delivered the Giove-A satellite to ESA for environmental testing. The Soyuz launch from Baikonur was successful, and platform commissioning was completed ahead of schedule. On 12 th January 2006, Giove-A met its prime objective of demonstrating a Galileo navigation signal in space. Giove-A already has been a remarkable success, and it will enable ESA to achieve their 4 major objectives with this satellite at relatively low cost. The Galileo system is on its way!