Image: EUSPA
News from the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
After a challenging Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and testing campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic, Galileo satellite “Nikolina” (GSAT0223) entered service on May 5. The satellite will reinforce the performance and robustness of the Galileo satellite.
GSAT0223 was launched Dec. 5, 2021 with Galileo launch L11 after the usual design, acceptance, validation, launch and early orbit preparation and operations phases.
This was the first Early Orbit Operations phase conducted directly from the operational center in Germany, under the responsibility of EUSPA.
GSAT0223 and its launch companion GSAT0224 (Shriya) are the first pair of the third batch of Galileo First Generation satellites to reach space. GSAT0223 will fill the last empty slot in Galileo’s orbital plane B.
Shriya will soon complete its in-orbit validation and will then join the operational constellation. Ten additional satellites of the same batch are continuing assembly, acceptance and launch preparations.
