PARIS, March 5 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency awarded a contract to a British firm for technology to be used in constructing a second Galileo satellite navigation system.
The new satellite, to be named GIOVE-A2 with an estimated total value of $40 billion, will be based on Surrey Satellite Technology's GIOVE-A technology. GIOVE stands for Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element.
The ESA said it wants to guarantee there will always be a European navigation satellite in space and the new satellite will maintain European rights to the frequencies for an additional 27 months.
GIOVE-A was the first European satellite to be launched into medium Earth orbit. It carries two environmental monitors that have been in nearly continuous operation since launch and are gathering data about the Galileo orbit environment that will help in the design of the full constellation.
The GIOVE-A2 satellite will be ready for launch during the second half of 2008.
GIOVE is the first step for the deployment of the entire 26-satellite Galileo system. When fully deployed in 2011-12, it will be the first completely civilian positioning system.
