Across Europe, Galileo Second Generation (G2) teams are hard at work building twelve satellites that will integrate seamlessly with the current Galileo navigation fleet. With two families of six satellites, developed by Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and Airbus Defence and Space (ADS), the upgraded models will bring countless benefits to users in Europe and around the world. But before they are ready for launch, each satellite must undergo rigorous testing on the ground.

A crucial phase in the development of a new satellite is the System Compatibility Test Campaign (SCTC), a comprehensive round of tests to ensure their full compatibility with ground segment. For the G2 programme, the ground segment is being developed by Thales Alenia Space, GMV, Thales SIX GTS and their industrial partners. The SCTC is divided into multiple phases, with each test case gradually increasing in complexity.

"This first compatibility test round has confirmed that the satellites receive, interpret and execute commands correctly and that the ground segment is able to receive and decode telemetry data reflecting the satellites’ operational status,” explains Head of Galileo Space Segment at the European Space Agency (ESA), Andrea Cotellessa.