Space for expansion
Beyond the sky is no limit for UK-based technology provider and consultancy Hamilton Hall, which is playing a key role for the European Space Agency. Fleur Doidge reports
Never let it be said the UK channel has no chance of achieving against its skyward aspirations, even in tough times. Hampshire consultancy Hamilton Hall has won an open-ended contract to deploy and manage its LEO asset management suite for Europe's new satellite-based global navigation system, Galileo.
Galileo is managed by the European Space Agency for the European Union, which funds the programme. It will eventually incorporate 30 satellites providing precise location and time information to organisations on the ground and in the air.
Elizabeth Hall, director of Alton-based Hamilton Hall, says the contract win covers services at a satellite control centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria, and other sites around the world. The consultancy will be directly involved with helping the space agency manage and maintain a range of high-tech assets involved in Galileo.
"The solution is ideal for this application and has been configured to maintain the build standard or configuration of the assets throughout the maintenance programme. LEO will also hold and manage all spares needed to support operational maintenance," says Hall.
Hamilton Hall, an Oracle reseller, has been making a name for itself with its work with high-tech defence and electronics organisations, including UK-based BAE Systems subsidiary Insyte. The consultancy was acquired in April by test kit rentals and asset management specialist Microlease.
Hall says the first step was being invited to demonstrate the LEO software to Galileo stakeholders, including German sat-nav consortium SpaceOpal, Deutsche Telekom's telematics applications developer T-Systems, and operations specalist Vitrociset Belgium.
LEO was chosen after a series of systems acceptance tests, and is being used to both create and co-ordinate the planned maintenance programme, including a range of data stored on site, Hall says.
Nigel Brown, chief executive of Microlease, says more firms in a range of sectors are looking to optimise the efficiency of their assets with tools that have the right advanced functionality. "This is just one example of a growing trend," he adds.
The first Galileo contracts were announced in January 2010, with an €85m (£73.2m) industrial system support services contract going to ThalesAleniaSpace of Italy, a €566m first order of 14 satellites to OHB of Germany, and a €397m launch services deal won by French company Arianespace. The move kicked off the rollout phase, which aims to have the new satellite navigation system up and running by 2014.
Contracts for operations and ground mission infrastructure as well as ground control infrastructure have also been awarded. Overall procurement was divided into six "work packages", including framework contracts and some more specific contracts. According to the European Commission (EC), shortlisted companies were invited to submit best and final offers following comprehensive talks. All contracts were awarded on a value-for-money basis.
"The Commission intends to follow a strategy of double-sourcing to lower risks, particularly in terms of delivery timings, and increase flexibility," according to a statement made by the EC at the time.
Superior to military GPS
By 2014, Galileo's offering will incorporate an open service, a public regulated service, a search-and-rescue service, a safety-of-life service and a commercial service. It is being billed as technically superior to GPS itself, which was developed by the US military.
Among other things, the civilian system may be able to assist and automate aircraft taking off and landing, keep trucks and trains in convoy, and measure locations on land to the nearest centimetre within seconds.
T-Systems says on its website that it estimates up to €300bn a year in revenue could be earned for innovative applications for Galileo. "T-Systems is already on the case," it enthuses.
According to Vitrociset Belgium, the intial configuration will include 18 satellites, two control centres, one in-orbit test station, six satellite tracking and command stations, 24 remote sensor stations around the world, and four uplink stations for transmitting data.
The Arianespace deal is for the launch of five Soyuz launchers from Kourou, French Guiana. Each launcher will carry two satellites into space, and four to five launches every 12 months are scheduled, with options for two more if needed. In October, the in-orbit validation (IOV) phase began, comprising tests and the operation of four IOV satellites and their associated ground infrastructure.
The second phase of the rollout involves deploying all the remaining space and ground infrastructure.