The European Commission has awarded Thales Alenia Space Italia the contract for the supply of the ‘System Support Services’ of the Galileo Project to the European Space Agency (ESA), with the framework contract extending from 2010 till 2016. The activities initially spanning the period from 2010 to 2014 will be covered by the first work order valued at about €85 M.
The System Support framework contract is one of six contracts through which Galileo will be developed to become operational in early 2014. With the System Support contract, Thales Alenia Space Italia will perform the overall system design, the system security design, the overall system integration, verification and In Orbit Validation (IOV).
Reynald Seznec, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, said, “The assignment of this contract, after a competition process, recognizes the competence of Thales Alenia Space in ‘System of System’ design and integration, already proved in the ongoing Galileo In Orbit Validation phase, aimed at verifying the Galileo initial performance.”
Luigi Pasquali, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia, added, “In the IOV phase, the Thales Alenia Space role also encompasses the Mission Ground Segment design and development, and Space Segment major subsystems development. In particular in its industrial site in Rome, Thales Alenia Space is carrying out the assembly, integration and test of the four IOV satellites after successful delivery and launch of Giove-B.”