Next Generation Galileo Satellites from the European Space Agency Are on Their Way

The European Space Agency urges satellite makers to place their bids for the new generation of Galileo devices. The European Commission has commissioned the initiative, and new satellites should start orbiting the Earth by 2024.

Second-generation satellites, G2, will carry out the same functions as the first-generation devices, with a few impressive upgrades on top. Paul Verhoef, European Space Agency Navigation Director, mentioned those are going to be state-of-the-art devices with greater flexibility.

European Space Agency G2 satellites new generation

European Space Agency announced a tender for satellites production on August 11. The agency hopes to sign at least two agreements by the end of this year when all interested parties make their best offers.

The main goal of new generation satellites is to make them more flexible to change their trajectory easily. They also hope to improve the application of exploration sats, sending signals to our smartphones and other ground devices. While it is not yet announced how their application will be improved, it’s clear plenty of R&D is on its way.

Currently, the European Space Agency is working on improved antennae for their new sats. The expertise comes from ESTEC technology. This knowledge will be shared with three chosen bidders to boost the practicality of G2 devices.

While some details are yet to be determined, it is clear that technology is advancing rapidly, and a new generation of satellites from the European Space Agency are on their way.