EU awards Galileo contracts
Posted: Fri, Jan 8, 2010, 8:00 AM ET (1300 GMT)
The European Union announced Thursday a series of contracts to build and launch the initial set of satellites for the Galileo navigation system. The biggest contract, valued at €566 million (US$810 million), went to OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. for the construction of 14 satellites. The OHB/SSTL team beat out a competing bid from Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, the two largest European satellite manufacturers; EADS owns both Astrium and SSTL. Arianespace received a €397 million (US$569 million) contract to launch 10 of the satellites, two at a time on five Soyuz rockets. Thales Alenia Space won a €85 million (US$122 million) contract for support services. The contracts are structured to begin satellite launches in 2012, with all the satellites launched by 2014 to permit initial operations of the satellite navigation system to begin. However, these initial contracts fall short of the 24 satellites needed for Galileo to provide navigation services globally. Three additional contracts, covering ground infrastructure and operations, will be awarded this summer.
The European Union announced Thursday a series of contracts to build and launch the initial set of satellites for the Galileo navigation system. The biggest contract, valued at €566 million (US$810 million), went to OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. for the construction of 14 satellites. The OHB/SSTL team beat out a competing bid from Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, the two largest European satellite manufacturers; EADS owns both Astrium and SSTL. Arianespace received a €397 million (US$569 million) contract to launch 10 of the satellites, two at a time on five Soyuz rockets. Thales Alenia Space won a €85 million (US$122 million) contract for support services. The contracts are structured to begin satellite launches in 2012, with all the satellites launched by 2014 to permit initial operations of the satellite navigation system to begin. However, these initial contracts fall short of the 24 satellites needed for Galileo to provide navigation services globally. Three additional contracts, covering ground infrastructure and operations, will be awarded this summer.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, April 20
Ovzon Launches Next-Generation Mobile Satellite Terminal – Ovzon T8
Ovzon — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Musk’s SpaceX threatens to withhold mobile service from Australia
Australian Financial Review — 5:35 am ET (0935 GMT) Space Force looks to personnel growth to boost integrated testing approach
Aerospace America — 5:32 am ET (0932 GMT) Jeff Bezos’s rocket catches up with Elon Musk’s in space rivalry
The Daily Telegraph — 5:30 am ET (0930 GMT) Blue Origin Rocket Stumbles on First Commercial Mission
Wall Street Journal — 5:29 am ET (0929 GMT) |
