Spacebel… Tandem Of ESA Projects Incurred (Systems)

[SatNews] The Belgian software engineering SME Spacebel will be contributing to two important European Space Agency (ESA) projects: the VEGA launcher and the Galileo positioning system on the other.

Developed by the European Space Agency and funded by the European Union, Galileo will be Europe’s independent satellite-based positioning system under civilian control, with initial services expected by 2014. Spacebel has recently been selected by OHB-System AG in Germany, the prime contractor for the first 14 satellites of the Galileo constellation, to develop the on board standard services that support the ground operations. Spacebel will contribute to the on board data handling software aimed at controlling and managing all the processes running aboard the Galileo satellites related to system, power, attitude, orbit, payload, and so on.

With the recent signature of two major contracts in the European VEGA program, Spacebel extends its participation in the launchers business. Named after the second brightest star in the northern hemisphere, the new rocket for small and medium scientific or Earth observation satellites is currently being developed under the supervision of the ESA. Italy is the lead contributor to the VEGA program, along with France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden. The first VEGA launch is planned for early 2011 from the French Guiana Space Centre. Unlike most small launchers, VEGA will be able to place multiple payloads into orbit. Spacebel has been selected by the VEGA Prime Contractor ELV in Rome (Italy) to develop the on board computer software to pilot the launch vehicle and in the VEGA guidance, navigation, and control software engineering activities. Finally, Spacebel is in charge of the simulation software that will test and validate the various functions of the on-board software. This new project represents a turnover of about 1.2 million euros for the Company.