As the link between space technology and user needs, the GSA’s mission is to ensure that users in Europe and around the world fully benefit from Europe’s satellite navigation programmes. To do this, the Agency is responsible for the operations and service provision for both EGNOS and Galileo.

The GSA also handles a range of matters related to the security of European GNSS including operating the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC); securing the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS); developing the PRS user segment; and ensuring the functioning of the Security Accreditation Board of the EU GNSS systems.

In addition, the Agency plays a key role in the development of applications and services for EGNOS and Galileo and promoting their use; managing EU-funded research and leveraging the results; and monitoring the market and forecasting future developments.

As a direct result of the Agency’s work, citizens, businesses and entrepreneurs are benefiting from the many innovative opportunities that EGNOS and Galileo make possible.

The GSA is responsible for the Galileo operations and service provision. This includes overseeing how the Galileo infrastructure is used and ensuring that Galileo services are delivered as planned and without interruption. To guarantee this, the GSA is responsible for Galileo infrastructure such as:

• The Galileo Control Centres in Oberpfaffenhoffen, Germany and Fucino, Italy, which share responsibility for operational management of the Galileo constellation.
• The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC): in charge of monitoring and taking action regarding security threats, managing PRS access and providing PRS and Galileo security expertise and analysis, etc.
• The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC): the single interface between the Galileo system and the users of the OS and CS.
• The Galileo ILS Centre, which supports an efficient spare part and repair provisioning service for Galileo ground infrastructure.
• The Galileo Reference Centre (GRC), which supports the provision of services to the Galileo Core System and Galileo users.

For 10 years, the GSA has awarded a Special Prize to contenders who presented the most pioneering ideas for the commercial use of Galileo and EGNOS:

2008: Real-Time Rescue – A personal GNSS tracker

2009: nogago – Leisure Navigation for Smartphones

2010: Wikitude Drive – Augmented Reality Navigation

2011: Traffic collision avoidance system for mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

2012: 3SOUND NAVIGATION: Track Navigation Solution Based on GNSS and 3D Acoustically Augmented Reality

2013: JOHAN: The Digital Oracle for Field Sports, Including GNSS Player Tracking in Real-Time

2014: Galileo for ARA / A New Galileo Module for the ARA Platform

2015: KYNEO: The Open Navigation Platform for the GNSS of Things

2016: Drones2GNSS – the Future of Surveying: UAV-assisted GNSS Positioning in Obstructed Environments

2017: CENTRIP – ChildrEN TRIp Protector

Previous winners have also been featured on the GSA website – see the links at the end of this article.

Success in numbers:

• Over 800 idea submissions
• >7 established companies all over Europe with a prototype or market-ready product
• Almost 10 years of incubation services
• 10 years of Galileo Masters E-GNSS idea development, promotion, and communications support

Factsheet GSA Cooperation 2018