The European Space Agency (ESA) has reported the GIOVE-B is well underway with the completion of its Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP). This will soon give way to the platform commissioning phase, indicating the spacecraft is in good health. After its successful launch by a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur on April 27th April and accurate insertion into its target orbit by the Fregat autonomous upper stage, the first tasks after separation were to deploy the solar arrays and achieve Sun-pointing in order for battery charging to start. Platform commissioning includes the on-board verification of all primary and redundant platform subsystems, namely telemetry and telecommand, propulsion, power, thermal control, and attitude and orbit control. GIOVE-B operations are being carried out from Telespazio‘s Fucino Space Centre in Italy. Once the spacecraft platform has been commissioned, switch-on of the various payload elements can begin. First signal transmission is anticipated in the coming days.
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