The European Space Agency is planning new navigation missions.

What are Galileo satellites?

Galileo is the European Satellite Navigation System that was launched in 2016. It is controlled by civilian institutions and is an alternative to the American GPS. Its advantage is a small error radius and easy coverage of the entire area with navigation signals, due to satellites orbiting at an altitude of 23,222 km. Unfortunately, this system is not perfect and has drawbacks, one of which is the reduced signal strength on Earth, which causes interference and degraded accessibility in some places. It is for this reason that the European Space Agency has recently started to consider supplementing Galileo with new satellites and launching two groundbreaking navigation missions: LEO PNT and GENESIS.

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How will the LEO PNT mission work?

The goal of the LEO PNT mission is to supplement Galileo with satellites to be placed in the lower orbits of a maximum of 2,000 km. Due to this, not only the quality of navigation signals in cities is to be improved, but also it will be possible to determine positions inside buildings. The new mission is also intended to provide immunity to the disruptions currently occurring in Galileo.

As LEO PNT satellites are expected to orbit at lower altitudes, the challenge will be to locate them so that they cover the entire world. Their number is to be many times greater than that of Galileo, because they must complete the current constellation. The operation of the satellites is to be based on signals from the average orbit, which also includes Galileo satellites, which means that the cost of their emission is to be lower than initially assumed. It is anticipated that 12 satellites are to be launched during the first phase of the mission.

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What is the GENESIS mission to consist of?

The GENESIS mission is the second, after LEO PNT, planned by the European Space Agency. It is to have a shorter range and narrow application. The purpose of the mission is to carry out measurements that will be used for the implementation of the International Terrestrial Reference System. The information shows that it is to be the first one that will combine four measurement techniques, which include:  

• satellite navigation,
• laser measurements,
• large baseline interferometry,
• doppler orbitography and satellite-integrated radio positioning.

The cost of the Genesis satellites is to be relatively low, and their orbital range is to be around 6,000 km. The accuracy of the measurements is predicted to be 1 mm. As a result, the obtained measurements are expected to be extremely useful for sectors such as civil engineering, agriculture, and crisis management.

In conclusion, both missions are at an early stage of implementation at the moment. The European Space Agency intends to enter into a dialogue with global companies to find out their views on joining the mission. In November 2022, ESA is to apply for the approval of the Ministerial Council, which will allow the commencement of works on the project.