Artist’s rendition of Eutelsat 5 West B. Photo: Orbital ATK

The European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) has selected Eutelsat Communications for the development, integration and operation of the next-generation EGNOS payload on a future Eutelsat satellite.

Eutelsat and GSA have concluded a long-term contract valued at 102 million euros ($107 million) covering the preparation and service provision phases for the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) GEO-3 payload that will be hosted on the Eutelsat 5 West B satellite that is due for launch end of 2018. The new payload marks a replenishment of current EGNOS capacity and is scheduled to start service in 2019 for 15 years.

With the addition of the EGNOS payload, Eutelsat is further optimizing the Eutelsat 5 West B satellite that was commissioned in October 2016 on a design-to-cost basis from Airbus Defence and Space and Orbital ATK. Airbus Defence and Space is building the satellite’s commercial Ku-band payload and the EGNOS payload while Orbital ATK is manufacturing the platform.