The Galileo System Architecture at the End of the Design Phase

R. Dellago, J.M. Pieplu, R. Stalford

Abstract:	Galileo is a European initiative to build a state-of-the-art Global Navigation Satellite System to offer high quality satellite positioning services with adequate guarantees and high availability. Galileo will provide worldwide satellite navigation and timing services to mass-market, professional, safety-of-life, and security-related users. Galileo will be inter-operable with other systems, such as GPS, and it is open to international cooperation with navigation, timing, geodetic, and Search and Rescue communities. The system architecture design drivers include the following issues: • independence from other navigation systems • inter-operability with other systems, such as GPS • navigation services (positioning) and timing services (distribution of UTC / TAI) within global earth coverage and space coverage (i.e. with provision of services also to LEO, MEO and HEO satellites) • integrity-of-navigation services • independence of external regional integrity systems on Galileo • support of Search & Rescue (SAR) services through relaying of user distress message and user return-link messages generated by rescue coordination organizations • support of international timing and geodetic communities • broadcasting of commercial communication services via the Galileo satellites The system architecture includes a user segment, a space segment, and a ground segment made of a system control and a mission control part (Ground Control Segment -GCS, and Ground Mission Segment - GMS). In addition, to verify the achieved deployed performance a Test User Segment will be developed and used to validate the service guarantees. The GCS controls all of the space assets and ground facilities needed to the purpose (Telemetry, Tracking, and Control stations - TTCs, Satellite Control Facilities - SCF, etc.). The GMS generates and uplinks all the data to be broadcast to the users, and controls all the related facilities (Galileo Sensor Stations - GSSs, Orbit & Synchronization Processing Facilities - OSPFs, Integrity Processing Facilites - IPFs, Up-Link Stations - ULSs, etc.). The space segment embarks a payload to broadcast the navigation and integrity information, and a dedicated payload to relay the Search and Rescue user distress messages. The broadcast information (navigation, integrity, search and rescue, and commercial comms) is accommodated on four services: Open Service (OS), Commercial Service (CS), Safety-of-Life (SoL) Service, and Public-Regulated Service (PRS). This paper presents the Galileo architecture at the end of the Definition / B2 programs, carried out by Galileo Industries under contract of the ESA Galileo Project Office. The paper contents reflect the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the companies and organizations involved.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003) September 9 - 12, 2003 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	978 - 990
Cite this article:	Dellago, R., Pieplu, J.M., Stalford, R., "The Galileo System Architecture at the End of the Design Phase," Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003), Portland, OR, September 2003, pp. 978-990.
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