© Astrium

With the Giove-B navigation satellite, Astrium has started operations in orbit exactly on schedule, and has been transmitting the highly precise Galileo signal since 02.05 a.m. on 7 May. An important milestone on the road to a European navigation system has thus been attained. In the course of the ‘In-Orbit Validation’ (IOV) phase, lasting until 2010, the four navigation satellites already being built by prime contractor Astrium will be deployed in space.

While the astronauts are working in orbit on the International Space Station, Astrium employees on Earth are in action for Columbus in many different ways. Dr Peter Eichler works at the Columbus control centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, as ‘Eurocom’ for the European astronauts in space.