Brussels, 20/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - A communication on the continuation of the Galileo programme is expected to be presented over the next few weeks. It is expected to give a new direction for the European satellite navigation system, following the incident during the launching into orbit of the fifth and sixth consolation satellites at the end of last August (see EUROPE 11139). The European Space Agency confirmed that this programme was experiencing further delays.
The document is expected to incorporate a raft of recommendations adopted in consultation with the respective European Commissioners, on the basis of a document prepared by the services of the Commissioner for Space, Elzbieta Bienkowska. According to one European source, the Communication is expected to provide a new timetable for launching the satellites needed in the European satellite navigation programme, which is supposed to bring an end to dependency on the US GPS. The launch planned for last December was postponed, following the unsuccessful orbiting of two satellites at the end of August, due to faults on the Russian Soyuz rocket launcher.
The strategic document is therefore expected to help work out whether these launchers can be used again or whether the Ariane rocket launcher can take over. Finally, the question of covering the failure of the most recent launch is expected to be discussed because no insurance covered the two satellites that each cost €40 million and which can only be partially utilised.
On Friday 16 January, the Director General of the European Space Agency, Jean-Jacques Dordain, informed the press that one of the two satellites had been moved during a new orbiting and could now be used (the same would apply soon to the second). Nonetheless, this final orbit is not the one originally planned. He also confirmed that six satellites should be ready to be launched and said that they were waiting for the go-ahead from the Commission at the end of January, “for optimising use of Soyuz and Ariane 5”. Nonetheless, Dordain conceded that deploying the Galileo constellation was experiencing delays. (MD)