I have read that there are to be multiple Galileo launches this year, but searching online I can only find one scheduled launch date of late march for two satellites.
Are there still more planned to be launched this year and the dates aren't yet set, or is this it for 2015?
I was just researching that over the weekend. It sounds like they have several in inventory, and are ramping up both production, and finding rockets to launch. With the failed launch last time, there was a delay in the schedule, but it looks like they are still trying for 3 launches this year, with 6 sats going up. Now one publication said one of the launches was going to do 4, which they have not tried yet, but it isn't a bad idea when you are trying to get 30 birds up in a short amount of time.
Now the tough decision, do I spent the extra money to get a receiver capable of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and maybe Compass too? Everyone is all about GPS, and GLONASS< but with probably 10 Galileo birds by the end of the year, and maybe 6-10 more the following year, it is tempting as I missed the GLONASS bandwagon last time. Is Compass helping out RTK users at all yet?
I'm assuming that by the time Galileo is functional, there should be some L5 & L2C functionality from GPS. Having these two (mostly) modern constellations would probably preclude additional benefit from Beidou.
What I'm wondering is if the systems that we have purchased that were advertised as "future-proof" actually are future-proof, or if there will be a big "OOPS, we didn't expect X to be the case" and they all require you to buy a new receiver.
Although to a certain extent this may not matter. I'm betting that in the near future you'll be able to buy a survey grade GNSS receiver that can perform PPK surveys (centimeter post-processed, decimeter on-the-fly) for under $5k - and everyone will want to switch to these for everything but stakeout, anyway.
GLONASS & Beidou Seldom Get Put On Launch Schedule Early
Sometimes not till rollout.
Gallileo cannot launch what is not ready. Their recent FUBAR (they did not buy launch insurance) messes up scheduling until more money is in hand. Gallileo is still trying to figure out it's other proposed signals, so the first group of satellites may be incapable of and useless for precise work.
Their second misslaunched satellite is about to be put in a semi useable orbit like the first. The orbit however is so far out of range that the orbit info cannot be broadcast within the original parameters and has to be alternatively put into the receiver and post process software. As I read the tests on the first misplaced Gallileo it will be useful for vehicle location but probably never for precise surveying. It is just a way for politicians to say we have so many satellites, now give us more money.
Meanwhile the stronger L2C signal is available from 15 of 31 satellites, 18 by the end of 2015. L5 is currently available from 8 and 3 more coming. GPS has been getting better by very small increments, but it has been over such a long time, the other GNSS systems may be providing little extra benefit. Receivers are getting 10-12 GPS at times so any GLONASS provide only marginal benefit.
Paul in PA
GLONASS & Beidou Seldom Get Put On Launch Schedule Early
Thanks. I realize they can't launch until they're built, but didn't know that they wait until completion to schedule a launch - makes sense.
You would think the modern Galileo signal would be quite easily monetized as a subscription service. If the purported capabilities can be made a reality. PPK with the modern signals would be better than RTK for location purposes (especially under canopy).
GLONASS & Beidou Seldom Get Put On Launch Schedule Early
Sounds like they have 4 built, some payload testing to do yet.
http://gpsworld.com/four-galileo-satellites-now-at-estec-production-continues/
If 4 are basically ready, I can see the other 2 (of 6 announced) being ready for the planned Dec launch.
Once Built Testing Takes Up To A Year, Then Find A Launcher
The delay to study what went wrong (12/2014 launch cancelled) allowed others to take launch slots and/or vehicles. Six satellites should ultimately be available for launch in 2015. There is still concern because currently the only available launch vehicles are Soyuz (problem vehicle) not the more reliable Ariane.
Recent Galileo success has been with L1 band. No one would pay for other than L1 over free (GPS, GLONASS) until it was available a great portion of the day. That is 2017 or later at the current rate.
Galileo has advantages disadvantages over GPS.
GPS orbital inclination 55° at 20,200Km with 12 hour orbit.
Galileo inclination 56° at 23,222Km with 14 hour orbit.
Slighlty more coverage at northern latitudes. Higher elevation gives longer in view times. However a greater percentage of inview time is at lower elevations making ionospheric correction more critical. A satellite South of an observer has 3 or more times the ionosphere as a satellite to the North
GLONASS inclination 65° at 19,100Km orbit with 11.5 hour orbit.
More coverage at northern latitudes.
Paul in PA
