Satellite footprints

Galileo GNSS (Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System)

Position:MEO
Manufacturers:Airbus Defense & Space
 OHB System
 Thales Alenia Space
Operator:EUSPA
Launch operator:Arianespace
Launch vehicles:Ariane 5ES
 Soyuz
Launch date:
Expected lifetime:10+ Years

Galileo GNSS (Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System)

The Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (Galileo GNSS) was implemented by the European Union through ESA in 2016. The system, which cost 10 billion euros, is operated by the European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, and has two ground operation centers in Fucino, Italy and Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany. It was named after the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei with the aim of providing an independent high-precision positioning system for European political and military authorities, eliminating their reliance on the United States Space Force’s Navstar GPS system, the Russian GLONASS navigation system, or the Chinese BeiDou system, which can be disabled or degraded by their operators at any time.

The Galileo Space Segment comprises a constellation of 30 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, including 3 spares, forming a Walker 27/3/1 constellation. Each satellite broadcasts precise time signals, ephemeris, and other data. The nominal constellation specifications are optimized for circular orbits with an altitude of 23,222 km, an orbital inclination of 56°, three equally spaced orbital planes, nine operational satellites equally spaced in each plane, and one spare satellite transmitting in each plane. The Galileo satellites, weighing 700 kgs/1600 W, are manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defense & Space.

As of July 2018, 26 of the planned 30 active satellites were in orbit, including spares. Galileo started offering Early Operational Capability in December 2016 with a weak signal and was expected to reach Full Operational Capability by 2022, with a full constellation of 24 active satellites in place by 2021.

The Galileo GNSS satellites were orbited between 2011 and 2021 by Arianespace using Soyuz and Ariana V launchers from the European Space Center in Kourou French Guiana.

Currently, the Galileo fleet is the world’s most precise satnav system, offering meter-scale accuracy to over 2 billion users globally, with the new G2 satellites expected to offer decimeter-scale precision positioning to all.

The Galileo Second Generation (G2G) satellites will augment the existing fleet of 26 first-generation Galileo FOC satellites and the 12 ‘Batch 3′ satellites currently in production and testing. The G2 satellites will be constructed in a short timeframe, with the first launch scheduled for late 2023, allowing them to commence operations in space as soon as possible. They will gradually join the existing constellation but will be much larger than existing satellites and equipped with electric propulsion and enhanced navigation antennas. The G2’s fully digital payloads are designed to be easily reconfigured in orbit, enabling them to actively respond to users’ evolving needs with novel signals and services.

Satellite Name (Nickname) Mission Launch Date Launcher Launch Provider
GIOVE-A GSAT-0001 St-15 Dec 28th, 2005 Soyuz-FG Starsem KZ
GIOVE-B GSAT-0002 ST-21 Apr 26th, 2008 Soyuz-FG Starsem KZ
IOV-FM1 GSAT-0101 (Thijs) VS-01 Oct 21st, 2011 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
IOV-FM2 GSAT-0102 (Natalia) VS-01 Oct 21st, 2011 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
IOV-FM3 GSAT-0103 (David) VS-03 Oct 12th, 2012 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
IOV-FM4 GSAT-0104 (Sif) VS-03 Oct 12th, 2012 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM1 GSAT-0201 (Doresa) VS-09 Aug 22nd, 2014 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM2 GSAT-0202 (Milena) VS-09 Aug 22nd, 2014 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM3 GSAT-0203 (Adam) VS-11 Mar 27th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM4 GSAT-0204 (Anastasia) VS-11 Mar 27th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM5 GSAT-0205 (Alba) VS-12 Sep 11th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM6 GSAT-0206 (Oriana) VS-12 Sep 11th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM7 GSAT-0207 (Antonianna) VA-233 Nov 17th, 2016 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM8 GSAT-0208 (Andriana) VS-13 Dec 17th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM9 GSAT-0209 (Liene) VS-13 Dec 17th, 2015 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM10 GSAT-0210 (Danielé) VS-15 May 24th, 2016 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM11 GSAT-0211 (Alizée) VS-15 May 24th, 2016 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM12 GSAT-0212 (Lisa) VA-233 Nov 17th, 2016 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM13 GSAT-0213 (Kimberley) VA-233 Nov 17th, 2016 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM14 GSAT-0214 (Thijmen) VA-233 Nov 17th, 2016 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM15 GSAT-0215 (Nicole) VA-240 Dec 12th, 2017 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM16 GSAT-0216 (Zofia) VA-240 Dec 12th, 2017 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM17 GSAT-0217 (Alexandre) VA-240 Dec 12th, 2017 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM18 GSAT-0218 (Irina) VA-240 Dec 12th, 2017 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM19 GSAT-0219 (Tara) VA-244 July 25th, 2018 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM20 GSAT-0220 (Samuel) VA-244 July 25th, 2018 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM21 GSAT-0221 (Anna) VA-244 July 25th, 2018 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM22 GSAT-0222 (Ellen) VA-244 July 25th, 2018 Ariane 5ES Arianespace FG
FOC-FM23 GSAT-0223 (Nikolina) VS-26 Dec 5th, 2021 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM24 GSAT-0224 (Shriya) VS-26 Dec 5th, 2021 Soyuz-STB Arianespace FG
FOC-FM25 GSAT-0225 (Patrick) 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM26 GSAT-0226 (Juliana) 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM27 GSAT-0227 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM28 GSAT-0228 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM29 GSAT-0229 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM30 GSAT-0230 2023 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM31 GSAT-0231 2024 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM32 GSAT-0232 2024 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM33 GSAT-0233 2025 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG
FOC-FM34 GSAT-0234 2025 Ariane 62 Arianespace FG

Galileo GNSS (Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System)

Galileo Satellite in orbit
Fucino Teleport Italy tracking Galileo satellites
ESA Galileo FOC satellite under construction
Galileo GPS satellite under construction with OHB
Galileo satellite built by OHB
Galileo satellite under test
Galileo sites and ground stations as of Sept 2021