Satellite row tests UK's post-Brexit security plans

Britain outlined its proposals Wednesday for close security cooperation with the EU after Brexit, but these risk being undermined by the bloc's refusal to share sensitive data on the Galileo satellite project. Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a deep trade and security relationship with Brussels after Britain leaves the European Union in March 2019, and hopes to have a deal agreed in principle by October. A document presented to the European Commission last week and published on Wednesday outline plans for a treaty on internal security and models of cooperation on foreign policy and in defence operations. But officials have been taken aback by Brussels' decision to deny London access to encrypted signals from the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system, citing legal issues about sharing sensitive information with a non-member state. Britain played a major role in developing the Pounds 9 billion (10 billion euros, $12 billion) project, an alternative to the US' GPS which is expected to be fully operational in 2026. Being frozen out due to security concerns could have implications for the rest of the partnership, the government document warns. "The arrangements for any UK cooperation on Galileo are an important test of the depth of operational cooperation and information-sharing envisaged under the security partnership," it said.

It demands continued British access to the secure signal and a right to compete for contracts.

Britain is looking into developing its own, separate system if the EU maintains its position, and has also raised the question of Galileo's use of Britain's overseas territories as monitoring bases.

The Times newspaper meanwhile reported Wednesday that the government is looking at ways to ban British-based technology companies from transferring sensitive information overseas.

Elsewhere, the document set out plans for a new treaty allowing Britain to continue using EU internal security measures such as the European Arrest Warrant, participate in agencies such as Europol, and continue the swift and secure exchange of data and criminal records.

Britain also wants to agree ways to allow it to contribute to EU defence missions on a case-by-case basis, as well as defence research projects and defence planning.

It points to the common threats faced by all European countries, from terrorism to illegal immigration, cyber threats and aggression, which has been blamed for a March chemical weapons attack in the English city of Salisbury.

Airbus selected by ESA for EGNOS V3 program

Airbus has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the prime contractor to develop EGNOS V3, the next generation of the European Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) planned to provide the aviation community with advanced Safety of Life services and new services to Maritime and Land users. Developed by ESA on behalf of the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), EGNOS V3 (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) will provide augmented operational Safety of Life services over Europe that improve the accuracy and availability of user positioning services from existing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Galileo and GPS) and provides crucial integrity messages to EGNOS users with alerts within a few seconds in case of system degradation, consolidating EGNOS' position as one of the leading edge GNSS Systems in the future. EGNOS V3 will thus offer improved Safety of Life (SoL) services performances (where people's lives are potentially at stake) over Europe to Civil Aviation community and new applications for Maritime or Land users, and will improve robustness against increasing security risks, in particular cyber-security risks.

EGNOS V3 will ensure a full continuity of service for the next decade and will be the first operational SBAS implementing the dual frequency and multi constellation world standard, with both GPS and Galileo, replacing EGNOS V2 which has been in operation since 2011.

"This programme is strategic for Airbus to strengthen our position in the Navigation field. The signature of this contract is the result of more than 5 years of intense team work and investment," said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at Airbus.

"With our Consortium, we bring a large pool of resources and experience in Europe covering the successful development of critical and secure ground segment. I am confident that we will make EGNOS V3 a success story."

As Prime contractor, Airbus will be leading a consortium with partners from France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. Airbus will be responsible for the development, integration, deployment and preparation of EGNOS V3 operations, the overall performance of the system and the Central Processing Facility which is the heart of the real time navigation algorithms.

During the 6.5 year contract, around 100 people and 20 subcontractors will work on delivering the EGNOS V3 system. In 2023, the single frequency version will be available to replace the current operational version and, 18 months later, the final version in dual frequency will be delivered.

EGNOS is composed of a large network of about 50 ground stations deployed over Europe, Africa and North America, two master control centres located near Rome and Madrid, and a System Operation Support Centre in Toulouse. EGNOS will also use geostationary satellites navigation payload.

Ariane 5 rocket takes off with European GPS satellites

An Ariane 5 rocket put four GPS satellites into orbit on Tuesday for Europe's Galileo navigation project, Arianespace said. The European space workhorse took off at 1836 GMT and deployed the satellites four hours after launch. The Galileo programme, when complete, will have 30 satellites in three orbital planes by 2020. If all goes according to plan the system will be able to pinpoint a location on Earth to within a metre -- compared to several metres for the United States' GPS and the Russian GLONASS systems. The civilian-controlled Galileo system, seen as strategically important to Europe, went live in December last year, providing initial services with a weak signal, having taken 17 years at more than triple the original budget to get there. "With this sixth successful launch of an Ariane 5 in 2017, marking the second mission of the year for the benefit of the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA), Arianespace is proud to guarantee Europe reliable and independent access to space," said Stephane Israel, Arianespace's executive chairman. The satellites launched Tuesday, each one weighing 715 kilogrammes (1,590 pounds), were placed into orbit 23,000 kilometres (14,000 miles) from Earth.

The Galileo programme is funded and owned by the EU.

The European Commission has overall responsibility for the programme, managing and overseeing the implementation of all activities, but the deployment, design and development of the infrastructure is entrusted to the ESA.

The European Commission announced in July that investigators had uncovered the problems behind the failure of atomic clocks onboard satellites already launched as part of the Galileo satnav system.

For months, the ESA had been investigating the reasons behind failing clocks onboard some of the 18 navigation satellites it had already launched for Galileo.

The ESA found after an investigation that its rubidium clocks had a faulty component that could cause a short circuit, according to European sources.

Galileo satellites atop rocket for next Tuesday's flight

Europe's next four Galileo navigation satellites are in place atop their Ariane 5, ready to be launched next Tuesday. Liftoff from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana is scheduled for 18:36 GMT (19:36 CET, 15:36 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 19-22. Completion of Galileo's Ariane 5 rocket took place in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, following the arrival there of the quartet of satellites, already attached to the dispenser that will hold them in position during launch, then release them into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit. Next, the satellites plus dispenser were placed atop the Ariane 5's upper stage, after which the 14 m-long protective fairing was lowered over the Galileos - the last time they will be seen by human eyes. This fairing will protect them from the onrushing atmosphere during ascent. Liftoff from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana is scheduled for 18:36 GMT (19:36 CET, 15:36 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 19-22. Completion of Galileo's Ariane 5 rocket took place in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, following the arrival there of the quartet of satellites, already attached to the dispenser that will hold them in position during launch, then release them into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit.

Next, the satellites plus dispenser were placed atop the Ariane 5's upper stage, after which the 14 m-long protective fairing was lowered over the Galileos - the last time they will be seen by human eyes. This fairing will protect them from the onrushing atmosphere during ascent.

The next step will be Monday's rollout to the launch zone.

This mission will bring the Galileo system to 22 satellites. Initial Services began almost a year ago, on 15 December 2016.

Next year's launch of another quartet will bring the constellation of 24 satellites to completion, plus two orbital spares.

Galileo is Europe's civil global satellite navigation system. It will allow users worldwide to know their exact position in time and space with great precision and reliability.