I would change the perspective. The satellite has been built and launch prepared by the industrial consortium that ESA dismounted just few month ago.
The success (or unsuccess) of GIOVE B is for the europen industry and its consortium..!!!
ESA disrupted the consortium to become prime on Galileo and its success is then VERY LONG to be demonstrated... I mean we have to see in next 2-3 years...
satpad - 27/4/2008 10:58 AM
I would change the perspective. The satellite has been built and launch prepared by the industrial consortium that ESA dismounted just few month ago.
The success (or unsuccess) of GIOVE B is for the europen industry and its consortium..!!!
ESA disrupted the consortium to become prime on Galileo and its success is then VERY LONG to be demonstrated... I mean we have to see in next 2-3 years...
Nope, the consortium took WAY too long, have been warned numerous times and still didnt meet set targets, ESA didnt "disrupte" anything, the call was made by the EC (with support from ESA) they did this rightly so ! the mess had to stop.
If they didnt do this, we would not have launched giove-b yesterday.
I do agree that the people involved (NOT the company) did a great job building it amids crappy political/management games being played.
so who decided and requested industry for that lacky organizational structure?
How could it be that industry (replying to an ITT) is pointed out as the reason of the failure so far (not at technical level but at organizational level)?
How would you explain me that?
satpad - 27/4/2008 11:33 AM
so who decided and requested industry for that lacky organizational structure?
How could it be that industry (replying to an ITT) is pointed out as the reason of the failure so far (not at technical level but at organizational level)?
How would you explain me that?
I'll explain but please open (yet another...sigh) thread about why and how galileo, not in the Live coverage thread.
Thanks
catched the point: I'm not going to ask again here.
But with the lauch of GIOVE-B few months after reorganization I guess may people are re-asking themselves a lot of questions on that.
Is the in-orbit validation phase going to take much time? When are the next 4 satellites (quoted in ESA's site as being well into the construction phase), the first operational ones, planned to be launched? They're using an Ariane 5, right?
eeergo - 27/4/2008 2:49 PM
When are the next 4 satellites planned to be launched? They're using an Ariane 5, right?
We're talking about 2010 here. The plan is to use two Soyuz-flights, each with two sats, from Kourou. Check out also:
http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/080426202037.k1scl6t2.html
Does anyone has the exact launch time in format 2216:02,XXXUTC???
Thanks!
GIOVE-B spacecraft in good health
29 April 2008
After its successful launch by a Soyuz Rocket from Baiknour on 27 April and accurate insertion into its target orbit by the Fregat autonomous upper stage, GIOVE-B is now completing its Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP), which will shortly give way to the platform commissioning phase.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZWWTQMFF_index_0.html
Press Release N°26-2008
Paris, 7 May 2008
GIOVE-B transmitting its first signals
Following a successful launch on 27 April, GIOVE-B began transmitting navigation signals today 7th of May. This is a truly historic step for satellite navigation since GIOVE-B is now, for the first time, transmitting the GPS-Galileo common signal using a specific optimised waveform, MBOC (multiplexed binary offset carrier), in accordance with the agreement drawn up in July 2007 by the EU and the US for their respective systems, Galileo and the future GPS III. These GIOVE B signals, locked on-board to a highly stable Passive Hydrogen Maser clock, will provide higher accuracy in challenging environments where multipath and interference are present, and deeper penetration for indoor navigation. It demonstrates that Galileo and GPS are truly compatible and interoperable and that positioning services will benefit all users worldwide.
“Now with GIOVE B broadcasting its highly accurate signal in space we have a true representation of what Galileo will offer to provide the most advanced satellite positioning services, while ensuring compatibility and interoperability with GPS" said Galileo Project Manager, Javier Benedicto.
After launch, early orbit operations and platform commissioning, GIOVE-B’s navigation payload was switched on and signal transmission commenced on 7 May and the quality of these signals is now being checked. Several facilities are involved in this process, including the GIOVE B Control Centre at Telespazio facilities in Fucino, Italy, the Galileo Processing Centre at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), in the Netherlands, the ESA ground station at Redu, Belgium, and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) Chilbolton Observatory in the United Kingdom.
Chilbolton’s 25-metre antenna makes it possible to analyse the characteristics of GIOVE-B signals with great accuracy and verify that they conform to the Galileo system’s design specification. Each time the satellite is visible from Redu and Chilbolton, the large antennas are activated and track the satellite. GIOVE-B is orbiting at an altitude of 23,173 kilometres, making a complete journey around the Earth in 14 hours and 3 minutes.
The quality of the signals transmitted by GIOVE-B will have an important influence on the accuracy of the positioning information that will be provided by the user receivers on the ground. Onboard GIOVE-B carries a passive hydrogen maser atomic clock, which is expected to deliver unprecedented stability performance.
The signal quality can be affected by the environment of the satellite in its orbit and by the propagation path of the signals travelling from space to ground. Additionally, the satellite signals must not create interference with services operating in adjacent frequency bands, and this is also being checked.
Galileo teams within ESA and industry have the means to observe and record the spectrum of the signals transmitted by GIOVE-B in real time. Several measurements are performed relating to transmitted signal power, centre frequency and bandwidth, as well as the format of the navigation signals generated on board. This allows the analysis of the satellite transmissions in the three frequency bands reserved for it.
The GIOVE-B mission also represents an opportunity for validating in-orbit critical satellite technologies, characterising the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) radiation environment, and to test a key element of the future Galileo system – the user receivers.
For further information:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication and Knowledge Department
Tel: + 33 1 5369 7299
Fax: + 33 1 5369 7690
Jester - 7/5/2008 7:44 AM
GIOVE-B First signal
What if any changes will take place with existing GPS receivers with GIOVE-B?