ESA Orders Four New Galileo Second Generation Satellites

The European Space Agency (ESA) has expanded existing contracts with Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space to procure an additional four satellites for the Galileo Second Generation (G2) system. These new satellites, identical to those already under development, are slated for delivery in 2031 and will feature fully digital navigation payloads, improved navigation antennas, inter-satellite links, and advanced atomic clock configurations. The G2 satellites are designed to complement the 38 satellites of the first generation, with the first G2 launch scheduled for 2028.