Paris (AFP) – Two Galileo satellites sent Friday by a Soyuz rocket did not reach the planned orbit and it seemed “complicated” to put them back on track, which threatens to further delay the system European navigation supposed to compete with the American GPS.
“It will be complicated. We are seeing if we can remedy the situation in the coming hours,” he told AFP Jean-Yves Le Gall The Interdepartmental Coordinator for France Galileo.
According to preliminary analyzes, “an anomaly may have occurred during the flight phase of the Fregat upper stage, leading to an injection of satellites in improper orbit, “said Arianespace, the company responsible for launching, in a statement released Saturday night.
The two Galileo satellites Sat-Sat-5 and 6″ are stable and pose no risk to population, “however, said Arianespace.
When asked about the presence of sufficient quantities of fuel on board the satellites to enable them to regain the right orbit, Jean-Yves Le Gall, who is also president of the National Center for Space Studies (CNES), said, “it’s the right question is the question we ask ourselves”
“We had to be on a circular orbit of 23,000 km altitude. and the orbit is not circular, elliptical and it is lower, at about 17,000 km, which means that it is difficult to complete the mission, “continued the former boss of Arianespace.
The Russian Soyuz had left its launch pad Sinnamary near Kourou, Friday at 9:27 local time (2:27 p.m. Paris time).
off and the first part of mission were normal. “It was only after the separation of the satellites, and delayed time, the progressive use of information provided by the telemetry stations of ESA and CNES revealed that the orbit achieved was not consistent than expected, “said Arianespace.
” It is too early to know the cause of this anomaly. But it led to an error injection satellites that have not joined the orbit referred, “he told AFP by telephone Stéphane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, which was at Kourou
-. many delays –
It is now up to the ESA (European Space Agency), which controls the satellites, to see how it can try to correct the trajectory error.
Arianespace will mandate Monday in association with ESA and the European Commission, a commission of independent investigation to determine the precise causes of the anomaly and “draw the consequences and remedial actions for a return to flight safely and in a timely manner of the Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Center (CSG).”
This committee will coordinate with the Russian partners of the Soyuz program in Guyana.
A new Galileo satellite launch by a Soyuz is expected in December. But we must await the outcome of the inquiry as to whether the date can be maintained.
Scheduled to be operational in the fall after their first tests in space, these two new satellites Galileo had to add to the four satellites already launched to validate the navigation system wanted by Brussels.
Before the technical problem on Friday, it was expected that the initial Galileo services began in late 2014, before the system becomes fully operational in 2018.
“Arianespace is committed to serving as quickly as space ambitions of the European Union in the framework of the Galileo program,” said Israel, presenting “Apologies ESA and the European Commission for the injection of a non-conforming “orbit.
Europeans wanted to have their own technology, independent of American military GPS system. At a cost of more than € 5 billion, the program is 100% funded by the European Commission and implemented by ESA.
The system, the first two satellites were Launched in October 2011, has accumulated delays and cost overruns.
Operating at higher elevations as GPS, Galileo satellites have a higher inclination angle, very useful in town, as most the signal, the higher it is visible to users on the ground.
The Galileo satellites are also equipped with the best atomic clocks ever used in navigation, with an accuracy of one second in three million years.
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