Indra Space wins ESA contracts to modernize Galileo's ground segment
ESA · Indra Space
Indra Space signed two ESA contracts to build next-generation Galileo ground sensor and uplink stations.
what happened
Indra Space signed two contracts with the European Space Agency, European Commission and EU Agency for the Space Programme on Oct. 27 to develop new worldwide ground sensor stations and ground uplink stations for Galileo's second-generation satellite navigation system, per ESA's own announcement. The work covers new sensor stations built on modern data-centre architecture and software-defined radio technology, controlled reception pattern antennas to resist jamming and spoofing, and phased-array uplink antennas alongside traditional dish antennas; the ground segment is designed to work with both first- and second-generation Galileo satellites, per ESA. ESA's Ennio Guarino, head of the Galileo and EGNOS Programme Department, said the ground segment evolution is "at the cutting edge of technology."
why it matters
Galileo's ground segment, not just its satellites, determines how resilient the system is to jamming and spoofing, an operational concern that has grown as GNSS interference has spread near conflict zones; the award keeps a European ground-segment integrator building out the infrastructure that commercial positioning, timing and resellers built on Galileo will depend on for the next generation of the system.
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- ESA, Indra Space
- Category
- contract
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 5 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-10-27
- Published
- 2026-10-28 13:52 UTC