Surrey to build second Galileo satellite
Posted: Tue, Mar 6, 2007, 7:37 AM ET (1237 GMT)
ESA announced Monday that it has awarded a contract a British smallsat manufacturer to build a second satellite for Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) will build the GIOVE-A2 satellite for ESA for launch in the second half of 2008, most likely on a Soyuz rocket. SSTL built the first Galileo satellite, GIOVE-A, which was launched in late 2005. That satellite was designed to put into use ahead of a regulatory deadline the frequencies that had been reserved for use by the full Galileo system. The GIOVE-A2 satellite will serve as a backup to GIOVE-A and incorporate some technological enhancements. ESA had previously contracted for a more sophisticated test satellite, GIOVE-B, that is being built by European Space Navigation Industries (formerly Galileo Industries), the joint venture that will eventually build the operational Galileo satellites. However, the GIOVE-B satellite has been delayed numerous times because of technical problems and is now not expected to be launched before late this year or early 2008.
ESA announced Monday that it has awarded a contract a British smallsat manufacturer to build a second satellite for Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) will build the GIOVE-A2 satellite for ESA for launch in the second half of 2008, most likely on a Soyuz rocket. SSTL built the first Galileo satellite, GIOVE-A, which was launched in late 2005. That satellite was designed to put into use ahead of a regulatory deadline the frequencies that had been reserved for use by the full Galileo system. The GIOVE-A2 satellite will serve as a backup to GIOVE-A and incorporate some technological enhancements. ESA had previously contracted for a more sophisticated test satellite, GIOVE-B, that is being built by European Space Navigation Industries (formerly Galileo Industries), the joint venture that will eventually build the operational Galileo satellites. However, the GIOVE-B satellite has been delayed numerous times because of technical problems and is now not expected to be launched before late this year or early 2008.
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