At the Paris Air Show, the European Space Agency, on behalf of itself and its European Union partner, which provides most of the funding, formally signed a construction order for eight more Galileo satellites from the constructor team led by OHB System AG, which includes UK-small satellite maker SSTL.
The order effectively completes the 30-navigation-satellite system and offers spares. The orders are good news for SSTL, which had been concerned that it might be “iced out” of any future Galileo work following the UK’s “Brexit” decision.
The eight satellites will use the GALILEO FOC bus design which, although suffering a payload clock issue, has proved to be reliable. The order does have options for further satellites should they be needed.
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