New Galileo Sensor Station coming in Bonaire

EUSPA, in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, ESA, and industrial collaborators, is set to open a new Galileo Sensor Station (GSS) on the Caribbean Island of Bonaire. This milestone marks the completion of site preparation activities and EUSPA’s takeover for the deployment of Galileo services. An event took place in Bonaire in the presence of Afke van Rijn, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands.

Enhancing Galileo's Precision and Coverage

Galileo, European Union’s GNSS, has become a cornerstone of satellite-based navigation, providing highly accurate positioning services for various sectors, including transportation, emergency response, and environmental monitoring.

The Bonaire GSS will be the latest addition to the GSS network and is designed to improve the accuracy, reliability, and availability of satellite navigation signals. Its strategic and unique placement in the Southern Caribbean, helps to create even more robust and precise GNSS services.

“The addition of this new site will enhance the accuracy of Galileo signals and the overall robustness of our services,“ says Guerric Pont, EUSPA Head of Galileo Exploitation Department.

How does it work?

The Galileo Sensor Station (GSS) network consists of several antennas placed in remote locations worldwide. These small antennas monitor the signal quality and accuracy of Galileo satellites and track their orbits in real-time.

These measurements are sent securely to the Galileo Control Centres in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and Fucino, Italy, where errors in timing or orbit are identified and corrected. The control centres send those corrections to the uplink stations (ULS) with larger 3-metre antennas, which transmit the updates back to the satellites. The corrections are then broadcast with updates every 90 minutes, ensuring high accuracy.

Next Steps

Following the successful handover of the site, the industrial teams will deploy the Galileo elements, followed by a period of testing and eventual final entry into operations of the GSS Bonaire in late 2025.

“By boosting Galileo’s performance thanks to the Bonaire Galileo Sensor Station, we are advancing Europe’s leadership in satellite navigation and reinforcing global trust in our services,” concluded Rodrigo da Costa, EUSPA Executive Director.

Check out this map to see the current list of sensors and stations worldwide.