ESA Launches Four Galileo Satellites (fortune.com)

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched four additional Galileo satellites in to orbit on Thursday -- the first time the ESA has sent up so many satellites at once. The satellites will be used to thrust the EU into the global market for satellite navigation services, which it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros ($267 billion) by 2022, according to Fortune. The program has encountered some turbulence since the EU gave the go ahead with Galileo 16 years ago. In 2014, two Galileo satellites were launched into a wrong, lower orbit. As for today's launch, Slashdot reader nojayuk shares an excerpt from the ESA website: An Ariane 5 rocket has launched four additional Galileo satellites, accelerating deployment of the new satellite navigation system. The Ariane 5, operated by Arianespace, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana at 13:06 GMT (14:06 CET, 10:06 local time) carrying Galileo satellites 15-18. The first pair was released 3 hours 35 minutes and 44 seconds after liftoff, while the second separated 20 minutes later. The Galileos are at their target altitude, after a flawless release from the new dispenser designed to handle four satellites. This was the first flight of a heavy-lift ES-variant of the Ariane V since the ATV resupply missions to the ISS. Previously Galileo satellites have been launched in pairs by Soyuz-Fregat craft from French Guiana. Two additional Ariane 5 launches each carrying four Galileo satellites are scheduled in 2017 and 2018. The full system of 24 satellites plus spares is expected to be in place by 2020.

Comments

it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[frovingslosh]

which it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

It might cost 250 billion euros to build yet another positioning system, but with the Americans and the Russians both making their commercial quality systems available for free, is a third system really worth 250 billion euros? Particularly since we no longer hobble GPS system accuracy. Sure, if money doesn't matter then Europe can say they want toys of their own, but it seems to me that there is no revenue stream here and perhaps someone could have come up with a better use for 250 billion euro than building a third redundant positioning system. I can think of a few things if they just want to save the effort and send the money to me.

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[Sique]

Actually, both GPS and GLONASS are not free. If you build equipment which can use GPS or GLONASS, you have to pay a license fee.

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[imidan]

The European Galileo constellation can be used in conjunction with American GPS and Russian GLONASS to provide more accurate positioning fixes to receivers that are capable of using the multiple systems. Furthermore, different regional powers may benefit more by having satellites in somewhat different orbits than others, owing to the geographic distributions of their areas of influence. In addition, the various nations fielding these systems recognize strategic value in them, in that they can continue to use their system if a hostile government reduces or eliminates availability of their own. Redundancy is not a bad thing, and the nations involved in launching these systems are continuing to improve their functionality.

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[cdrudge]

If you build equipment which can use GPS or GLONASS, you have to pay a license fee.

Citation please

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[fche]

[citation needed]

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[jrumney]

After a point, greater accuracy no longer comes from tracking more satellites, but from more detailed analysis of the signals they are sending. With GPS, Glonass and Baidu already fully operational and various SBAS systems augmenting them, Galileo is really only about the EU saving face, after spending so long talking, and meanwhile the US dropped their random error that made consumer grade GPS unpredictable, and China has joined the party from nowhere, with Japan. and India making the sensible decision to concentrate on regional augmentation rather than developing full constellations of their own.

Re: it estimates will be worth 250 billion euros

[fche]

Nothing in that thread substantiates the claim that "if you build equipment which can use GPS or GLONASS, you have to pay a license fee.".

Re:14,900 mile high orbit , yeah right

[MayeulC]

For triangulation; you need at least four satellite at any given time (3D triangulation + time synchronization). Hence, a lot more satellites. Plus, you want some for redundancy.

Re:14,900 mile high orbit , yeah right

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry for nitpicking: Satellite navigation systems actually use trilateration (measurement of distances), not triangulation (measurement of angles)...

Re:14,900 mile high orbit , yeah right

[ledow]

Because "global" also includes the poles.

Which means not just three around the equator, but three around orbiting on several planes through the center of Earth.

And three is the minimum VISIBLE to get some vague idea of location but if you want the 1cm accuracy they are offering (yep, encrypted service is down to 1cm), then you need more than the bare minimum, especially if you're going to be under a cloud, or in a city with tall buildings. So that's at least 4 on each plane you cut through the Earth, and probably 4-5 planes to ensure globality.

Plus spares. Plus more for better accuracy.

Re:"ESA" launches?

[stud9920]

How's this different from NASA or DOD launched sats ? Do you really think some dudes from the Pentagon personally launched GPS ?

Funny American use of "first"

[Alomex]

This is a funny use of the term "first" invented by Americans:

This was the first flight of a heavy-lift ES-variant of the Ariane V since the ATV resupply missions to the ISS.

The rest of the world would have phrased this as: the previous flight of the Ariane V was the resupply mission to the ISS.