Airborne Aerospace has secured a contract from Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands to make 48 substrate panels for solar arrays of 12 new Galileo FOC satellites.

Carried out under a programme of the European Union, this contract comes following years of collaboration between the two Dutch companies to power the Galileo constellation.

Airborne has delivered 88 panels to Airbus DS NL, which has served as the prime contractor for the solar arrays of the 22 Galileo satellites already constructed.

To date, 18 of these Galileo satellites are operational in orbit and the new lot of 12 satellites will be launched between 2020-23.

Funded by the European Committee, the Galileo programme is procured by ESA.

In December 2017, Ariane 5 rocket carried four Galileo navigation satellites on-board, equipped with wings made in Holland, including 16 solar array panels manufactured by Airborne.

“The launch of these satellites from the European launch base in Kourou, French Guyana, is being carried out by the powerful Ariane 5 rocket.”

Each Galileo satellite is powered by two wings, comprised of two 2.75m² panels, weighing 715kg. They will be released into a 22,922km-altitude orbit.

The satellites will begin six months of tests to verify if they are ready to join the working Galileo constellation.

Airbus DS NL is tasked with the design, qualification, manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing of the complete solar array system for Galileo FOC.

Airborne International CEO Arno van Mourik said: “We are very proud to have signed our 20th contract with Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands. We are looking back at some 10 years of great collaboration between our companies.

“We remain working on the challenge to keep improving the competitiveness of the panels. Thanks to our advanced composites production line and know how we have achieved an efficient production scheme of two to three panels per week.”

The Galileo navigation system is being developed by the European space agency ESA, ordered by the European Commission.

A consortium led by prime contractor OHB has been awarded the contract to build and test the Galileo FOC satellites with Surrey Satellite Technology overseeing their navigation platforms.

The launch of these satellites from the European launch base in Kourou, French Guyana, is being carried out by the powerful Ariane 5 rocket.