Rapco
awarded
Galileo contract
Rapco Electronics Ltd has been awarded a contract to supply timing and
frequency equipment for the ground stations that will control the EU’s
Galileo satellite system. The contract
covers the first two stations to be built. These will be at Kiruna
in the Swedish Arctic and Kourou in
French Guiana
and will form the first of a global network.
The equipment comprises atomic clocks as precision time and frequency
sources, together with signal distribution equipment that will synchronise
the satellite control systems. The systems are completed with automatic
built in test equipment and remote monitoring facilities. This will ensure
that the satellites circle the earth in the correct orbits and can be
switched on and off as required. The navigation data the satellites will
broadcast will not only be used for professional and scientific purposes
but will also permit in-car navigation to become more accurate.
At present the navigation satellites have not been launched but it is
planned to have the ground control stations operational in good time in
order to be ready for this event. In a multi-national collaboration, the
stations will be installed and commissioned by Spanish contractors. The
contract includes provision for Rapco to provide support to this activity.
The first station will be ready for installation in April.
Dennis Reed, CEO of Rapco said “We are very pleased to have won this
contract in the face of some fierce international competition. Rapco has
an enviable reputation of completing tasks like this to a high standard,
on time and within budget. This project will raise our profile all across
Europe
and puts us in a strong position to obtain more of these prestige
contracts.”
The design and manufacturing work on the equipment will be carried out at Rapco’s
Basingstoke
factory.
Galileo
equipment under test
