ICAO adopts international standards for Galileo and future SBAS

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The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has adopted international standards for Galileo and future satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS). This is a milestone for the aviation industry, as the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) can now fully leverage the potential of satellite navigation services developed in Europe — in combination with GPS — to make air travel safer, more efficient, and more reliable.

Galileo will provide advanced navigation capabilities to aviation, improving the availability and reliability of services. The risk of loss or interference will be significantly reduced with a more accurate and secure signal for positioning and timing.

Additionally, the evolution to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) v3 will augment Galileo and enable the use of its dual-frequency bands — E1 and E5, protected for aviation use — in combination with GPS. This enhances vertical guidance to enable precision approach and landing capabilities for all equipped aircraft across Europe.

The adoption of these international standards is a result of the work done by the European Commission Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, in partnership with EUSPA, DG-MOVE, European Aviation Safety Industry, the European Space Agency and in coordination with the EU Member States and their ANSPs.