Airbus Achieves Key EGNOS Milestone

Ibadan, 20 December 2022.- Airbus has successfully achieved the System Critical Design Review (CDR) on the EGNOS V3 satellite-based augmentation system. According to the Company, the EGNOS V3 (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) ‘s design will add key security features for the most safety-critical applications, such as aircraft navigation and landing. Furthermore, it will provide entirely new services for maritime and land users. EGNOS V3 is the second generation of the overlay system and will improve the performance of GPS and Galileo.

The new V3 generation of EGNOS, which Airbus is developing, will introduce new services based on multiple frequencies of multiple constellations (GPS, Galileo). Likewise, it will embed sophisticated security protection against cyber-attacks. The System CDR covers the functional design, external interfaces, operations, security, integration verification, qualification, and deployment.

Javier Benedicto, Director of Navigation at ESA, commented, “the successful review confirms that the multi-constellation, multi-frequency EGNOS V3 will be a significant push forward in satellite augmentation. The coming EGNOS V3 will mark a significant step forward, enlarging EGNOS accuracy, robustness, and overall coverage, thanks to its use of multiple frequencies from both GPS and Galileo.”

In addition, EGNOS Exploitation Program Manager in the European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) Jean-Marc PIEPLU pointed out that “the increased robustness of EGNOS V3 will allow Europe to develop its resilience and European actors further to continue to develop multi-modal applications. With the focus on users’ safety and security, the EUSPA continues to work on EGNOS development with the institutional and industrial partners.”

EGNOS V3 relies on three operations centers and 44 monitoring stations across Europe and further afield. It monitors the signals from satellite navigation systems and generates augmentation messages broadcast to all users using transponders on geostationary satellites. In early 2018 Airbus won the prime contract for the EGNOS V3 Implementation Phase by ESA on behalf of the European Union Agency for the Space Program (previously GSA).