Galileo Deployment

[eeergo]

Oh oh   
[...]
one of several

Testing testing...

https://mobile.twitter.com/GalileoSats/status/1640282783770636289

[GWR64]

Oh oh   
[...]
one of several

Testing testing...

https://mobile.twitter.com/GalileoSats/status/1640282783770636289

GSAT0210/E01 is still unusable and was unusable before this test.
The clock jumps on GSAT0210 have nothing to do with this test, I think.

[GWR64]

NOTICE ADVISORY TO GALILEO USERS (NAGU) 2023023
DATE GENERATED (UTC): 2023-03-29 17:50

NAGU TYPE: USABLE
NAGU NUMBER: 2023023
NAGU SUBJECT: USABLE AS FROM 2023-03-29
NAGU REFERENCED TO: 2023019
START DATE EVENT (UTC): 2023-03-29 16:18
END DATE EVENT (UTC): N/A
SATELLITE AFFECTED: GSAT0210
SPACE VEHICLE ID: 01
SIGNAL(S) AFFECTED: ALL

EVENT DESCRIPTION: GALILEO SATELLITE GSAT0210 (ALL SIGNALS) IS USABLE SINCE/AS OF 2023-03-29 BEGINNING 16:18 UTC. PAYLOAD ON RAFS CLOCK. GALILEO SATELLITE GSAT0210 (ALL SIGNALS) WAS UNAVAILABLE FROM 2023-03-23 BEGINNING 17:37 UTC.

GSAT 0210 is usable again. As before the last break, with a rubidium atomic clock (RAFS).
It is not clear whether both rubidium clocks are still working.
It will probably be 2 years or more before a replacement will be usable. Long time.

[jpo234]

Politico article about Galileo launches on Falcon 9 and/or Vulcan: EU turns to Elon Musk to replace stalled French rocket

The Commission reckons only SpaceX's Falcon 9 heavy launcher and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan system are up to the job of sending the EU's new geo-navigation Galileo satellites — which weigh around 700 kilograms each — into orbit.

[GWR64]

Damned! GSAT0210 off again

NOTICE ADVISORY TO GALILEO USERS (NAGU) 2023032
DATE GENERATED (UTC): 2023-04-30 08:30

NAGU TYPE: UNP_UNUFN
NAGU NUMBER: 2023032
NAGU SUBJECT: UNAVAILABLE FROM 2023-04-30 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
NAGU REFERENCED TO: N/A
START DATE EVENT (UTC): 2023-04-30 00:52
END DATE EVENT (UTC): N/A
SATELLITE AFFECTED: GSAT0210
SPACE VEHICLE ID: 01
SIGNAL(S) AFFECTED: ALL

EVENT DESCRIPTION: GALILEO SATELLITE GSAT0210 (ALL SIGNALS) IS UNAVAILABLE SINCE 2023-04-30 BEGINNING 00:52 UTC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/constellation-information

Politico article about Galileo launches on Falcon 9 and/or Vulcan: EU turns to Elon Musk to replace stalled French rocket

The Commission reckons only SpaceX's Falcon 9 heavy launcher and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan system are up to the job of sending the EU's new geo-navigation Galileo satellites — which weigh around 700 kilograms each — into orbit.

After the Ariane 6 status update in October 2022 and the statement from Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël
(in connection with the delay): "... no issue..." the EU should have reacted.
Even if it was about the lack of overlap between Ariane 5 and 6, it also concerns the replacement for the Soyuz.

[GWR64]

Politico article about Galileo launches on Falcon 9 and/or Vulcan: EU turns to Elon Musk to replace stalled French rocket

The Commission reckons only SpaceX's Falcon 9 heavy launcher and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan system are up to the job of sending the EU's new geo-navigation Galileo satellites — which weigh around 700 kilograms each — into orbit.

Checked this on the Nasa Launch Vehicle Performance website. However, I do not know exactly which C3 energy the
Galileo orbit corresponds. So I can only guess.
The Falcon Heavy (Recovery) and the Vulcan VC2 come into question for Galileo launches.
Both could probably lift 4 Galileo-satellites + dispenser (~3300 kg) into the intended orbit. In terms of performance, they are close to each other.
For Falcon-9 ASDS or expendable, I can't find data in this range.
Surprising to me, an Atlas V 401 could possibly have launched 2 satellites + dispenser, while a Vulcan VC0 certainly cannot.
Other alternatives: H-2A or H-3 obviously are not available.
The Ariane-5 ES was discontinued too early.

[LouScheffer]

Politico article about Galileo launches on Falcon 9 and/or Vulcan: EU turns to Elon Musk to replace stalled French rocket

The Commission reckons only SpaceX's Falcon 9 heavy launcher and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan system are up to the job of sending the EU's new geo-navigation Galileo satellites — which weigh around 700 kilograms each — into orbit.

Checked this on the Nasa Launch Vehicle Performance website. However, I do not know exactly which C3 energy the
Galileo orbit corresponds. So I can only guess.
The Falcon Heavy (Recovery) and the Vulcan VC2 come into question for Galileo launches.
Both could probably lift 4 Galileo-satellites + dispenser (~3300 kg) into the intended orbit. In terms of performance, they are close to each other.
For Falcon-9 ASDS or expendable, I can't find data in this range.

Wikipedia lists the orbit as circular at 23222 km altitude.  To reach this apogee from LEO, you need to add about 2185 m/s.  When you arive at the top, you are going 2212 m/s, and need to speed up to 3670 m/s, so need to add 1458 m/s.   So from LEO, you need to add about 2185+1458 m/s, or about 3643 m/s total.  This same total, all applied at LEO, would lead to escape at about C3 = 9 km^2/sec^2.

According the the NASA web site, the F9 can lift 2325 kg to this orbit.  (2-3 satellites).  They don't give a figure for fully expendable, but guesses make it look like about 3700 kg, so 4 satellites.  VC2 can lift 4865 kg (6 satellites) and FH recovery can lift  5275 kg (6-7 satellites).

EDIT:  This is not correct for Galileo orbits at 56 degrees.  For a generic C3=9 mission the inclination does not matter, as long as abs(DLA) <= launch latitude (which is true for almost all escape missions, when launching from USA sites).    But for a 56 degree, non-escape mission, it does matter.  Here's a guess how much:

To reach an orbit with an inclination of 56 degrees from the cape, you need to launch at 58.5 degrees from the equator (or a launch azimuth of 31.5 degrees).  At this azimuth, instead of the 408 m/s boost from earth rotation, you only get 408*cos(58.5) = 213 m/s, or 194 m/s less.  This 194 m/s must be made up elsewhere, so the total dv to 3837 m/s, which when applied from LEO corresponds to a C3 = 13.6.  This gives 4360 kg for VC-2, and 4650 for FH with recovery.

However, these will still be optimistic if launching from the Cape.  The cape allows azimuths from 35-120 degrees, but this orbit wants 31.5.  So a dogleg will be needed as well, further limiting performance.  These were also needed on the GPS mission with similar orbits.  I don't have a good estimate of how much performance this costs.

[GWR64]

Politico article about Galileo launches on Falcon 9 and/or Vulcan: EU turns to Elon Musk to replace stalled French rocket

The Commission reckons only SpaceX's Falcon 9 heavy launcher and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan system are up to the job of sending the EU's new geo-navigation Galileo satellites — which weigh around 700 kilograms each — into orbit.

Checked this on the Nasa Launch Vehicle Performance website. However, I do not know exactly which C3 energy the
Galileo orbit corresponds. So I can only guess.
The Falcon Heavy (Recovery) and the Vulcan VC2 come into question for Galileo launches.
Both could probably lift 4 Galileo-satellites + dispenser (~3300 kg) into the intended orbit. In terms of performance, they are close to each other.
For Falcon-9 ASDS or expendable, I can't find data in this range.

Wikipedia lists the orbit as circular at 23222 km altitude.  To reach this apogee from LEO, you need to add about 2185 m/s.  When you arive at the top, you are going 2212 m/s, and need to speed up to 3670 m/s, so need to add 1458 m/s.   So from LEO, you need to add about 2185+1458 m/s, or about 3643 m/s total.  This same total, all applied at LEO, would lead to escape at about C3 = 9 km^2/sec^2.

According the the NASA web site, the F9 can lift 2325 kg to this orbit.  (2-3 satellites).  They don't give a figure for fully expendable, but guesses make it look like about 3700 kg, so 4 satellites.  VC2 can lift 4865 kg (6 satellites) and FH recovery can lift  5275 kg (6-7 satellites).

The ULA states 3900 kg for VC2 for MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) = 20,368 km circular at 55 deg (GPS)
So I assumed the C3 value is higher.
https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/vulcan-centaur

[LouScheffer]

The ULA states 3900 kg for VC2 for MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) = 20,368 km circular at 55 deg (GPS)
So I assumed the C3 value is higher.
https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/vulcan-centaur

Oops - the calculation I did was to raise from an LEO orbit to a Galileo orbit of the same inclination.  For a generic C3=9 mission the inclination does not matter, as long as abs(DLA) <= launch latitude (which is true for almost all escape missions, when launching from USA sites).    But for a 56 degree, non-escape mission, it does matter.  That means my estimates above will be optimistic.  I'm adjusting them.

EDIT: revised estimate is C3 = 13.6 (see above).  But this is still somewhat optimistic if launched from the Cape, as a dogleg trajectory will be needed to hit this inclination.

[GWR64]

GSAT0210 has been out of service for over a month now, I'm afraid that's it.
After GSAT0204, that would be the second FOC satellite that obviously no longer has an exact atomic clock.
This is where the hardware error in the rubidium clocks on the FOC satellites GSAT0201 to GSAT0214 (worst case) takes revenge.
The IOV satellites had problems early on with the hydrogen maser, but 3 of them still work with rubidium atomic clocks. The failure of GSAT0104 had another reason.
So one satellite each is missing in plane A and C.
The progress on Ariane 6 is very slow. If the first launch takes place in H1 2024,
there are probably max 1-2 more launches in 2024. So at most one for Galileo.
A Falcon 9 ASDS launch with 2 satellites is tight. Expendable it works, I think.
Whether a launch with 4 satellites is desired, I don't know. Maybe in plane C. More than 4 makes no sense.
The two options are above.
Many thanks to @LouScheffer for the excellent analysis.

[bolun]

Contract for new Galileo atomic clock tech signed

ESA, on behalf of the European Commission, has signed a €12 million contract with Leonardo S.p.A (Italy) and Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica to design and develop a new ultra-precise atomic clock technology for Galileo.

Under this contract, the consortium will design, manufacture, test and qualify an engineering qualification model, after which an experimental flight model is expected to fly on a Galileo Second Generation satellite for early in-orbit verification. After initial tests, the new clock will still be monitored to study its reliability and long-term lifetime. Experimental clocks will fly in addition to the operational clocks that are used in the provision of Galileo services.

[GWR64]

...
It was obviously the last task of the partially defective GSAT0104, which is now to be decommissioned.
https://www.gsc-europa.eu/notice-advisory-to-galileo-users-nagu-2024015
...

During the decommissioning process, GSAT0104's orbit was raised by around 700 km! to 23,930 x 23,917 km.
https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?GROUP=galileo&FORMAT=tle
Goodbye Sif.
SV ID 20 can be reassigned.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Cross post: Official Galileo system NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users) for today’s Falcon 9 launch:

DATE GENERATED (UTC): 2024-04-28 05:20

NAGU TYPE: GENERAL (LAUNCH)
NAGU NUMBER: 2024020
NAGU SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227
NAGU REFERENCED TO: N/A
START DATE EVENT (UTC): 2024-04-28 00:34
END DATE EVENT (UTC): N/A
SATELLITE AFFECTED: GSAT0225, GSAT0227

EVENT DESCRIPTION: GALILEO SATELLITES GSAT0225 (SVID 29) AND GSAT0227 (SVID 06) WERE LAUNCHED ON 2024-04-28 AT 00:34 UTC. GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227 ARE PLANNED TO BE POSITIONED IN SLOTS C05 AND C12 OF THE CONSTELLATION. USERS WILL BE ADVISED OF AVAILABILITY OF SIGNALS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

[GWR64]

Cross post: Official Galileo system NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users) for today’s Falcon 9 launch:

DATE GENERATED (UTC): 2024-04-28 05:20

NAGU TYPE: GENERAL (LAUNCH)
NAGU NUMBER: 2024020
NAGU SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227
NAGU REFERENCED TO: N/A
START DATE EVENT (UTC): 2024-04-28 00:34
END DATE EVENT (UTC): N/A
SATELLITE AFFECTED: GSAT0225, GSAT0227

EVENT DESCRIPTION: GALILEO SATELLITES GSAT0225 (SVID 29) AND GSAT0227 (SVID 06) WERE LAUNCHED ON 2024-04-28 AT 00:34 UTC. GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227 ARE PLANNED TO BE POSITIONED IN SLOTS C05 AND C12 OF THE CONSTELLATION. USERS WILL BE ADVISED OF AVAILABILITY OF SIGNALS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

C05 is the former slot of GSAT0104, is currently empty.
C12 is between C02 and C03, this means, GSAT0227 does not immediately replace the old GSAT0103 on C04

[GWR64]

https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1784470914895142925

Thierry Breton
@ThierryBreton
2 new #Galileo satellites successfully launched last night 🛰️

Awaiting Ariane6, the 2024 launches are crucial for Galileo’s resilience, robustness and #continuity of its civilian & military applications.

Galileo deployment will continue in 2025.

The Ariane 6 is mentioned, but the Falcon 9, which carried out the launch, is not.
And the next launch L13 will be completely hidden. What's the problem here?

[Rik ISS-fan]

In all aspects this is a painful situation for the European space industry.
The two launches of a pair of Galileo satellites were ment to take place in 2022 on two Soyuz-ST launches.
Because Russia invaded Ukraine, Europe imposed financial sanctions on Russia. The result of these sanctions is the blockage of payment of services provided by Starsem, for the Soyuz-ST launches. Thus Soyuz-ST (launched from France Guiana) is blocked financially.
Ariane 6 development is years late, by numerous reasons. But the initial version wouldn't have been capable to perform this mission. The Galileo launches are best performed utilizing a kick-stage.
The performance of Soyuz-ST with the Fregat kick-stage is significantly higher that Falcon 9 (expendable) and Ariane 62.
I think the Ariane 62 with Astris kick-stage could be capable to orbit 4 Galileo (gen1) satellites.
The upper stage of the launcher used, is disposed in a MEO graveyard orbit, a couple hundred kilometer above the operational MEO GNSS orbits. Thus with Soyuz-ST the Fregat remains in orbit indefinitely. With the Falcon 9 launches the second stage remains in orbit. I think it's preferable to dispose a smaller stage into the graveyard orbit.

I'm very doubtful Arianespace can perform a dual galileo gen1 launch before 2026. Because they require the Astris kick stage. And my oppinion is that they should use the Artris kick-stage on these missions, because the ULPM should be deorbited, and not become a MEO ~23000km 56deg. space debris item.
(when stage passivation goes wrong, you'll end up with a cloud of space debris in MEO. ULPM is not proven, jet.)

[GWR64]

In all aspects this is a painful situation for the European space industry.
The two launches of a pair of Galileo satellites were ment to take place in 2022 on two Soyuz-ST launches.
Because Russia invaded Ukraine, Europe imposed financial sanctions on Russia. The result of these sanctions is the blockage of payment of services provided by Starsem, for the Soyuz-ST launches. Thus Soyuz-ST (launched from France Guiana) is blocked financially.
...

The launch on Falcon 9 is more painful than discovering that you've been feeding a cuckoo for more than 20 years?
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/soyuz_fregat.htm
You can now see that the Soyuz/Fregat is not a European rocket.
More embarrassing than the launch of spy satellites CSO-1 in 2018 and CSO-2 in 2020 on Soyuz?
Although since autumn 2018 at the latest, when the French Defense Minister accused Russia of spying on the Athena-Fidus satellite, the relations between France and Russia are bad.
Of course it would be better if Europe could use its own rocket.

[StraumliBlight]

Thales Alenia Space reaches major new milestone in Galileo Second Generation development

This achievement paves the way for the start of the flight model assembly and integration phase in Q4 2024. First Satellite Compatibility Test Campaigns with the Ground Segment are also expected by end of 2024, in order to ensure full satellite acceptance in the years to come.

https://twitter.com/Thales_Alenia_S/status/1790318060781404509

[GWR64]

Object C from launch 12 is probably GSAT0225, has already significantly increased its orbit and is getting closer to slot C05.
Object A should then be GSAT0227, has to drift longer to C12, I think. I didn't fully understand the strategy behind it.
GSAT0225 is probably the priority.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?INTDES=2024-079

[GWR64]

Object C from launch 12 is probably GSAT0225, has already significantly increased its orbit and is getting closer to slot C05.
Object A should then be GSAT0227, has to drift longer to C12, I think. I didn't fully understand the strategy behind it.
GSAT0225 is probably the priority.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?INTDES=2024-079

Most sources on the internet say object A is GSAT0225 and C is GSAT0227. I don't know the original source.
The opposite of my prediction.
I'm going by the order in the NAGU and the position of the satellites. Maybe I'm wrong.
2024-079A is drifting quickly and is currently passing GSAT0209 on slot C02 on the way to C12.
2024-079C is almost in the middle between GSAT0103 on C04 and GSAT0207 on C06. It is drifting very, very slowly.