New setback for the European Galileo program – Echoes

+ VIDEO The Soyuz rocket has not placed two satellites in orbit. Arianespace is awaiting the outcome of the investigation before resuming shooting.

European space cried victory too early Friday after apparently successful shooting a Soyuz rocket, which was to kick off the deployment phase of the future European GPS, Galileo. Doresa and Milena, the first two operational satellites in the Galileo constellation, have certainly come to the area, but not on the planned orbit, Arianespace said Saturday. “The orbit was circular, inclined at 55 degrees with a semi-major axis of 29,900 km. Reached orbit is elliptical with an eccentricity of 0.23, a semi-major axis of 26,200 km and an inclination of 49.8 degrees “ says Arianespace said in a statement Saturday night.

As a result, the two satellites about 100 million pieces, which should allow for partial commissioning of the future European GPS starting next year, can not be used. And it was not until the European committee for investigation has clarified the causes of this failure that the deployment of the Galileo constellation, which still requires 24 satellites, can resume. “We return flight once we have implemented the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry” , confirms Stéphane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, yesterday joined on Sunday by phone. “The launch and initial portion of the flight, with the separation of the first and second stages of the Soyuz rocket, went well, he says. Most likely a malfunction occurred during the flight phase of the upper floor, which is the longest phase since it lasts more than three hours. “

Soyuz essential

If the Russians have repeatedly failed in recent years on Proton is the first time a problem like this occurs on a Soyuz, which already has to his credit eight shots from Guyana. If the Ariane rocket can also orbit satellites needed by Galileo Soyuz remains essential to ensure the full deployment of the European GPS by the end of the decade. The Russian rocket has yet to fifteen shots for Arianespace by 2019

Account <- sdvenc ->

<- / sdvenc ->

Stéphane Israel, however, hopeful that the problem can be solved quickly. “We hope that the commission will issue its findings in less than a month and we do not have to see the next Soyuz launch [with two new Galileo satellites, Ed] expected end of December “, he said. A first indication of the level of complexity of the problem will be whether to maintain a Soyuz launch scheduled in October in Russia, to add two satellites in the constellation Glanoss, Russian GPS.

Repositioning limited

However, it seems unlikely that the teams from the European Space Agency, in charge steering of satellites, manage to reposition Doresa and Milena on orbit. If the two satellites, built by the German company OHB, are motorized and have a fuel and solar panels, their engines are not designed to catch an orbit of 3.7 km error. A source close to the matter, it nevertheless considers it possible that the two satellites remain fully under control, can be repositioned in orbit to use something.

Bruno Trévidic, Les Echos