* OHB System wins 566 million euro satellite order* Arianespace secures 397 million euro contract for launches
* Thales Alenia Space wins 85 million euro support contract
Defense News ~ By Pete Harrison
BRUSSELS, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Germany's OHB Technology (OHBG.DE) will provide 14 satellites for the European Union's Galileo navigation system and Arianespace (EAD.PA) of France will launch them into orbit, the EU executive said on Thursday.
Support services for Europe's biggest space programme will be provided by Franco-Italian group Thales Alenia Space (TCFP.PA) (SIFI.MI) in a contract worth 85 million euros ($122 million), the European Commission said in a statement.
"2014 is the year we will get it started," European Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani told reporters. "The first services will be available as of 2014, and then progressively we will be adding more."
The Galileo project, intended to rival the U.S. global positioning system, has been plagued by delays and squabbling over funding that only ended when the 27-nation EU agreed to fund it from the public purse.
OHB secured its order, worth 566 million euros, after a competition with Germany's EADS-Astrium. The two will continue to compete for orders for the remaining satellites in the programme, which will probably number between eight and 18.
Arianespace will be paid 397 million euros to launch the satellites onboard Soyuz rockets from French Guiana starting in October 2012.
Tajani was unable to give a figure for the total cost of the project -- initially estimated at over 3 billion euros -- but he said it was in line with the most recent budgets.
"We can now focus on the actual roll-out," he said. "What remains to be seen is whether costs for launches increase."
OHB, working in partnership with British-based, French-owned Surrey Satellite Technology, was expected to deliver its first satellite by July 2012 with the last delivered in March 2014.
"It will be compatible with the GPS system," said Tajani. "It will in fact adjust or correct the GPS signal and make it more accurate."
"Galileo is a system we intend to turn into a global system... and this is the reason we are working with the Chinese and other partners," he said.
BRUSSELS, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Germany's OHB Technology (OHBG.DE) will provide 14 satellites for the European Union's Galileo navigation system and Arianespace (EAD.PA) of France will launch them into orbit, the EU executive said on Thursday.
Support services for Europe's biggest space programme will be provided by Franco-Italian group Thales Alenia Space (TCFP.PA) (SIFI.MI) in a contract worth 85 million euros ($122 million), the European Commission said in a statement.
"2014 is the year we will get it started," European Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani told reporters. "The first services will be available as of 2014, and then progressively we will be adding more."
The Galileo project, intended to rival the U.S. global positioning system, has been plagued by delays and squabbling over funding that only ended when the 27-nation EU agreed to fund it from the public purse.
OHB secured its order, worth 566 million euros, after a competition with Germany's EADS-Astrium. The two will continue to compete for orders for the remaining satellites in the programme, which will probably number between eight and 18.
Arianespace will be paid 397 million euros to launch the satellites onboard Soyuz rockets from French Guiana starting in October 2012.
Tajani was unable to give a figure for the total cost of the project -- initially estimated at over 3 billion euros -- but he said it was in line with the most recent budgets.
"We can now focus on the actual roll-out," he said. "What remains to be seen is whether costs for launches increase."
OHB, working in partnership with British-based, French-owned Surrey Satellite Technology, was expected to deliver its first satellite by July 2012 with the last delivered in March 2014.
"It will be compatible with the GPS system," said Tajani. "It will in fact adjust or correct the GPS signal and make it more accurate."
"Galileo is a system we intend to turn into a global system... and this is the reason we are working with the Chinese and other partners," he said.
(Editing by Dale Hudson and Dan Lalor)
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