The onboard atomic clocks that drive the satellite-navigation signals on Europe's Galileo network have been failing at an alarming rate.
Across the 18 satellites now in orbit, nine clocks have stopped operating. Three are traditional rubidium devices; six are the more precise hydrogen maser instruments that were designed to give Galileo superior performance to the American GPS network.
Galileo was declared up and running in December.
However, it is still short of the number of satellites considered to represent a fully functioning constellation, and a decision must now be made about whether to suspend the launch of further spacecraft while the issue is investigated. Prof Jan Woerner, the director general of the European Space Agency (Esa), told a meeting with reporters: "Everybody is raising this question: should we postpone the next launch until we find the root cause, or should we launch? "You can give both answers at the same time. You can say we wait until we find the solution but that means if more clocks fail we will reduce the capability of Galileo. But if we launch we will at least maintain if not increase the [capability], but we may then take the risk that a systematic problem is not considered. We are right now in this discussion about what to do."
Each Galileo satellite carries two rubidium and two hydrogen maser clocks. The multiple installation enables a satellite to keep working after an initial failure. All 18 spacecraft currently in space continue to operate, but one of them is now down to just two clocks. [...] It appears the rubidium failures "all seem to have a consistent signature, linked to probable short circuits, and possibly a particular test procedure performed on the ground".
[...] Actions are being taken to try to prevent further problems. These involve changing the way clocks are operated in orbit. Clocks about to fly are also likely to be refurbished, and future devices yet to be made will have design changes, the agency says.
Esa is hopeful it can still launch the next four satellites in the constellation before the end of the year.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38664225
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Galileo sat-nav system experiences service outage
Europe's satellite-navigation system, Galileo, has suffered a major outage. The network has been offline since Friday due to what has been described as a "technical incident related to its ground infrastructure". The problem means all receivers, such as the latest smartphone models, will not be picking up any useable timing or positional information.
These devices will be relying instead on the data coming from the American Global Positioning System (GPS). Depending on the sat-nav chip they have installed, cell phones and other devices might also be making connections with the Russian (Glonass) and Chinese (Beidou) networks.
[...] The specialist sat-nav publication Inside GNSS said sources were telling it that the problem lay with a fault at a Precise Timing Facility (PTF) in Italy. A PTF generates and curates the reference time against which all clocks in the Galileo system are checked and calibrated.
The function on Galileo satellites that picks up distress beacon messages for search and rescue is said to be unaffected by the outage.
[...] Europe's alternative to GPS went "live" with initial services in December 2016 after 17 years of development. The European Commission promotes Galileo as more than just a back-up service; it is touted also as being more accurate and more robust.
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(Score: 4, Insightful) by Snotnose on Saturday January 21 2017, @12:04AM
Seems to me there are at least 2 pervasive problems with each satellite. If the clocks are failing this early it seems stupid to launch any more until the problems are fixed.
I get that more satellites == better capability, but if the clocks keep failing at this rate in a year or two they'll have no capability.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @12:06AM
Another stamp on the proof that socialists cant do a damn thing right, should have contracted with a superior US vendor.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Saturday January 21 2017, @01:50AM
The "socialists" are hitching a ride about 6AU away from Earthbound idiots on that comet they were orbiting for a while.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @12:57AM
and possibly a particular test procedure performed on the ground
... Then stop doing that...
(Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Saturday January 21 2017, @01:21AM
"It hurts when I do this."
"Don't do that then."
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @11:11AM
I find this statement of ESA rather ridiculous.
Tests are performed for a reason. Usually to verify a requirement (maybe in this case a requirement related to reliability and stress).
Sometimes tests are performed because the customer (represented by ESA in this case) insists they want something tested, with no real justification, but hey, they're paying for it.
Either way, ESA shouldn't advertise their incompetence like this.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @01:04AM
Chapman: Trouble at mill.
Cleveland: Oh no - what kind of trouble?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: Pardon?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: I don't understand what you're saying.
Chapman: [slightly irritatedly and with exaggeratedly clear accent] One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the treadle.
Cleveland: Well what on earth does that mean?
Chapman: *I* don't know - Mr Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @01:06AM
Failing every single mission
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @02:12AM
Ask any beemer owner.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 21 2017, @05:22AM
Oh I have a list of complaints about my beemer. The electronics is not one of them.