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GNSS Service Centre
Roll-out of operations of the GNSS Service Centre in Torrejón de Ardoz

30 satellites in 2020

 

4 types of Galileo service

 

  • Galileo Service Centre
  • Galileo Service Centre
  • Galileo Service Centre
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In 2011, the European Commission signed an historic Agreement with the Ministry of Public Works that established the location of the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) in the Madrid city of Torrejón de Ardoz, in the installations of the INTA. The centre is integrated into the European satellite navigation infrastructure and acts as a single interface between the infrastructure and the users of the Galileo open services (OS), commercial service (HAS and CAS) and search and rescue service (SAR).

The GSC is a centre that provides experts, know-how, evaluation of capability, distribution of information and support for the provision of value-added services provided by the Galileo system. From the start, Ineco has led the consortium responsible for the development of the GSC.

This project was executed for the European GNSS Agency (GSA), and it defined both the concept of operations as well as the procedures necessary to provide the services that the GSC offers to the users of Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system.

The Galileo system declared the “Initial Services” at the end of 2016, with an initial constellation of 18 satellites, which will be expanded to 30 in 2020, at which time the system will offer its optimum capabilities (FOC; Full Operational Capability).

Ineco has also focused heavily on Galileo, and is currently in an advantageous position in the Galileo Service Operator contract, supervising the operations and evolution of a system that will undoubtedly be a fundamental technology in our daily lives.

Data Sheet
Location: European Commission
Client: European GNSS Agency (GSA)
Execution period: 2014-2017
Market: Air Navigation

Commitment to R&D&I

The contract covered the design of the operational concept, as well as the initial operations and the hosting services. Ineco acted as the coordinator of three contracts related to these activities and as the go-between with the client, the European Satellite Navigation Agency (GSA).

The study, which Ineco led with the supervision of the Ministry of Public Works and the support of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) defined the operations and scope of the GSC. Key Spanish companies in the space engineering sector also participated: Indra, GMV, Isdefe, ESSP, and INTA.

Satellite navigation systems have support centres that provide information on maintenance plans, navigation capabilities, and interface and algorithm specifications. This centre is expected to include the functions for Galileo, as well as for other multi-constellation solutions.


Market in a growth phase

The European Satellite Navigation Agency (GSA) calculates that the market for applications based on satellite navigation systems will grow in Europe 11% annually over the coming years, reaching 165 billion euros in 2020, for just the system’s ‘core’ activities (chips, maps or services).

The development of the GSC is following the Galileo roll-out calendar. After the system's initial operating capability milestone (IOC), the operations of version one of the centre began. It will provide all of its services when the constellation of 30 satellites is completed (full operational capability milestone, FOC) and will potentially include the EGNOS services that are already offered from Madrid.