Airbus Secures Contract for Construction of Two Additional Galileo Second-Generation Satellites
Airbus has obtained a contract for the construction of two additional Galileo second-generation (G2) satellites, announced on October 27, 2026 from Ottobrunn, Germany. This pair follows an existing order for six G2 satellites and will benefit, according to the press release, from manufacturing capabilities already in place.
Contract Awarded by the ESA on Behalf of EUSPA
The contract was awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA), acting on behalf of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), as part of a delegation from the European Commission. It concerns the construction of two Galileo second-generation satellites.
Galileo, Europe's satellite navigation system, is funded by the European Union and managed by the European Commission. The ESA leads the design, development and qualification of space and ground systems, as well as the awarding of contracts for launches. EUSPA acts as a service provider and oversees the operation and deployment of the system, including launch services.
Airbus Leverages Its Existing Production Capabilities
For these two units, Airbus will rely on the coordinated production programme already underway as well as its satellite manufacturing, integration and testing capabilities. These activities are distributed across its sites, notably in Backnang (near Stuttgart), Friedrichshafen, Getafe (near Madrid), Ottobrunn and Toulouse.
The satellites will weigh more than 2 tonnes and will operate in orbit for 15 years.
Digital Payloads and Jamming Protection
The G2 satellites will integrate enhanced and more resilient navigation antennas, designed to strengthen system accuracy. They will be equipped with fully digital, reconfigurable in-orbit payloads, as well as an improved atomic clock configuration. Inter-satellite links will allow them to communicate and monitor each other, and jamming and spoofing protection mechanisms are intended to preserve the quality of the Galileo signal.
For Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity at the ESA, these contracts should make it possible to "guarantee the continuity of satellite navigation services in Europe". Alain Fauré, Director of the Space Systems Division at Airbus, stated that these satellites are intended to strengthen navigation capabilities, "whether for European security and defence, or for society at large".
