Erange Space Center opens an Arctic eye on Galileo
René Oosterlinck (ESA), Javier Benedicto (ESA), Paul Verhoef (EU) and Lars Persson (SSC) cut the ribbon together.
Happy guests keeping warm with in the Swedish polar light.
Esrange Space Center opens an Arctic eye on Galileo
The inauguration of the Kiruna Galileo Ground Station took place today at SSCs Esrange Space Center. The ceremony was performed by René Oosterlinck, ESAs Director of the Galileo Programme and Navigation-related Activities, together with Paul Verhoef, Programme Manager of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission, and Lars Persson, President and CEO of the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC).
"I am glad to inaugurate this station today", commented Director Oosterlinck. "The ground segment of Galileo is getting ready in line with the space segment, the operations, and much more. I have worked on Galileo since its very beginning, and I am happy it is now taking shape", says Mr. Rene Oosterlinck.
"This is an important step for SSC", says Mr. Lars Persson. " We have provided satellite management services for Europe for many years and the Galileo ground station will further strengthen our position. For us the central value is the long horizon of this programme and Esrange is the ideal place for locating Galileo ground infrastructure in the North of Europe", Mr. Persson concludes.
The advantage of Esrange Space Center is that due to the geographic location near the poles, one can contact each Galileo satellite on each of its orbits. The increase of security level at the site also enables further future Galileo infrastructure in an effective manner.
SSCs role in Galileo SSC has and will contribute to the Galileo mission in other ways as well. SSC was involved in the Launch and Early Operation Phases (LEOP) for the two Galileo test satellites GIOVE-A and GIOVE-B launched in 2005 and 2008 respectively, and for the routine support for GIOVE-B during the operational phase. SSCs subsidiaries in Chile and the US have been contracted to establish a Galileo Ground Sensor Stations on Easter Island and one on Hawaii. In addition the SSC global network of ground stations – PrioraNet – will support the LEOP of the Galileo satellites to be launched during the next years.
Press images and film Press images and films are available on http://www.ssc.se/galileo-inauguration.aspx (the film material will be published at around 15.30) See the ESA press release at www.esa.int
For more information please contact Mr. Mikael Stern General Manager, Satellite Operations Division Swedish Space Corporation Phone: +46 70 566 65 55 E-mail: mikael.stern@ssc.se
Mrs. Anna Rathsman Senior Vice President Corporate Communications and Business Development Swedish Space Corporation Phone: +46 70 263 00 64 E-mail: anna.rathsman@ssc.se
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