Thales Alenia Space confirms its key role in Galileo 2nd Generation program by signing contracts for the ground mission segment and system activities

More than 300 M€ global amount contracts to serve engineering, ground mission segment and enhanced performance

Rome, Toulouse, July 20,  2023 - Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) has signed with the European Space Agency (ESA), acting in the name and on behalf of the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the European Union represented by the European Commission, more than 300 M€ global amount contracts to design and build with its European consortium the Galileo Second Generation (G2G) Ground Mission Segment and execute System Engineering Activities.

These contracts, in which Leonardo and Telespazio (Joint Venture between Leonardo 67 % and Thales 33 %) are also involved, will provide to ESA the delivery of the Ground Mission Segment infrastructure for the 2nd Generation of Galileo Satellites constellation as well as System Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA).

Galileo Second Generation © Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes

The G2G first version of the new ground mission system is scheduled to come into operation on time to support the launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) of the first satellite of this second generation and support the in-orbit validation of early G2G capabilities. A total of 12 satellites are expected to be launched in the following years. It includes several world-class technological innovations, flexibility while ensuring a secured and modernized infrastructure.

The second version of the ground mission segment, responsible for the legacy G1G satellites and new G2G satellites missions, is in charge of generating and up-linking the navigation services to the Galileo satellites and is maintaining the satellites’ synchronization to a common time reference, while providing improved state-of-the-art positioning, navigation & timing performances to more than four billion users worldwide.

Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space declared: “I warmly thank ESA, the European Commission and EUSPA for the trust they put in our company to be onboard this important flagship program for Europe. This success emphasizes the capacity of Thales Alenia Space to develop a new generation of satellite navigation solutions and complex space systems. Galileo 2nd Generation will benefit from the company’s unique know-how in space navigation and experience acquired through delivering space navigation programmes worldwide”.

Galileo Second Generation © Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes

These contracts follow the ones already signed in 2021 by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, prime contractor for 6  out of 12 satellites of the G2G constellation, and leading a multi-national team from Europe’s Space Community including Thales Alenia Space entities, Thales, Spaceopal, Leonardo and other partners with proven capacity coming from 14 European Countries: Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Czech Republic, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Greece.

In parallel, Thales has been notified of two major contracts for cybersecurity of G2G program to ensure the security of the Galileo system.

About Galileo

Galileo is Europe’s global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Operational since 15 December 2016, Galileo’s initial services are fully interoperable with GPS, while offering users an expanded range of performance and service levels, along with far more accurate positioning. All smartphones sold in the European Single Market are now guaranteed Galileo-enabled. In addition, Galileo is making a difference across the fields of rail and maritime transportation, agriculture, financial timing services and rescue operations. Unlike the American GPS, Russian GLONASS and Chinese Beidou satellite navigation systems, which are operated by the armed forces, Galileo is the world’s only GNSS system under civilian control.

To date, Galileo is scheduled to comprise a constellation of up to 38 first-generation satellites, transmitting stations for satellite control and telemetry, transmitting stations for mission data, two security management centres (in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Madrid), two system control centres (Oberpfaffenhofen and Fucino) and 16 stations for orbit control and clock synchronisation.

Galileo Second Generation is designed to be flexible and adapt to user needs in the decades ahead. It will also be more robust to withstand the challenges of a constantly changing world, especially the threats of jamming and cybercrime. With unrivalled accuracy and additional authentication capabilities, Galileo will be the world’s most advanced GNSS system.

Note: The views expressed in this Press Release can in no way be taken to reflect the opinion of the European Union and/or ESA.  “Galileo” is a trademark subject to OHIM application number 002742237 by EU and ESA.