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[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The second twin of Galileo FOC satellites was launched from Guiana Space Centre by Soyuz rocket into medium-Earth orbit on Friday March 27th. Both satellites are equipped with solar array substrate panels that were manufactured by Airborne for Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands, who is prime for the development of all solar arrays for Galileo.
Final countdown led to a launcher liftoff on Friday, March 27th at 22:46 CEST (21:46 UTC/GMT). Almost four hours after liftoff, the satellites were deployed from their Fregat, by the dispenser’s pyrotechnic separation system, once their final 23 km altitude was reached. The fuel on board both satellites allows them to fine-tune their orbits and maintain their altitude over the course of their twelve-year lifetimes.
Airborne manufactured the substrate panels for the twenty-two ‘Full Operational Capability’ (FOC) satellites that are funded by the European Committee and procured by ESA. Airborne has delivered all the eighty-eight Galileo substrate panels to solar arrays prime Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands.
Galileo FOC
The ‘Full Operational Capability’ satellites that were launched this week signal the start of the completion of the Galileo constellation, following the successful In-Orbit Validation of the navigation technology.
The payloads, generating navigation signals to Earth, have been manufactured by Surrey Satellite Technology in the UK, while the satellites carrying them have been built by OHB in Germany.
Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands is the main player in the Dutch space industry and Europe’s leading solar array manufacturer for spacecraft. Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands is responsible for the design, qualification and MAIT (manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing) of the complete solar array system for all the Galileo FOC satellites. The solar array systems are integrated to the satellite structure by OHB in Bremen.
A steady stream of launches is planned for the next few years, with two Galileo satellites flown per Soyuz launch and four Galileo satellites flown per launch of an Ariane 5 variant currently in preparation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]