Thales Alenia Space (France) is shipping Giove-B, the second test satellite in the Galileo navigation constellation, from its plant in Rome to the ESA-ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, the Netherlands this week.
The production team, led by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space and including Telespazio, EADS Astrium and ESA, has now completed all preliminary tests, including the thermal-vacuum test that duplicates the satellite’s in-orbit environment.
By passing the thermal-vacuum test, the Giove-B satellite demonstrated that is ready for delivery to ESTEC in Noordwijk. The satellite will undergo further tests in The Netherlands before being sent to the Baikonur cosmodrome to start launch preparations. Satellite launch on a Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the end of the year.
The Giove-B satellite should validate various critical Galileo technologies. In particular, Giove-B will provide in-orbit testing of the atomic clocks – the cornerstone of the navigation system.
Thales Alenia Space’s Rome plant was responsible for satellite integration, platform and system tests, as well as vibration, shock and thermal-vacuum tests.