GNSS Service Centre
The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) is an integral part of the European GNSS infrastructure, which represents the interface between the Galileo system and the users of the Galileo Open Service (OS) and the Galileo Commercial Service (CS).
The European GNSS Agency (GSA) is responsible for the administration of the GSC.
The GSC is located in Madrid, in the facilities of the Spanish National Aerospace Institute (INTA)[1], in Torrejón de Ardoz.[2]
History
The European GNSS Service Center was inaugurated in May 2013 by Vice-President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship and the Spanish Minister of Development Ana Pastor. The center itself was named as a tribute to the former Vice President of the EC "Loyola de Palacio", the then Commissioner for Transport[3].
On March 17, 2011, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Vice President of the EC Antonio Tajani and the Spanish Minister of Transport José Blanco López. This letter of intent outlined the conditions and requirements for hosting the GNSS Service Center (GSC) in Spain and for conducting a Spanish study to prepare the center.
The GSC deployment agreement was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on February 23, 2012, which stated that the global network of ground stations as part of the Galileo program included six centers and one station. The GSC is one of these six ground stations (MCC, GSMC, GSC, GRC).
Area of responsibility
The goals of the center are:
- Providing companies and users with general information: The GSC offers basic services for the user community via a web portal and a user help desk.[4]. A special website www.gsc-europa.eu is made available to Galileo users to answer questions.
- Distribution of timely service information: information about the system, system status and other messages for users.
- Support for service provision: exchange of R&D and industry knowledge of individual market segments.
- Provision of current information and performance reports regarding the program status
- Application and product developers with access to market experts in key segments.
Future and development
During the "Galileo In-Orbit Validation" phase (IOV), the GSC offers a general help desk function. An upgrade is being developed to support the early service phase at the end of 2014 with additional content and functionalities. Later, a new version of the GSC will be developed to support the commercial distribution of data via a real-time interface from 2015. The GSC will evolve over time to fully support the full operational capability of the Galileo Services (FOC).
First stage: GSC Nucleus and OS Helpdesk during the IOV phase
The GSC Nucleus provides a general help desk function. The main services are:
- Provision of basic services for the user community via a web portal and a user help desk.
- Exchange of R&D and industry knowledge per market segment.
- Information about the program status and ICD documents (Interface Control Document).
- Access to market experts in key segments.
Middle stage: GSC upgrade and OS help desk for Galileo Early Services
The GSC service for Galileo Early Services will be upgraded with additional web functionalities by the end of 2014.
Final stage: GNSS Service Center (OS and CS) at FOC
The GSC acts as an interface between the Galileo system and the open service users as well as between the commercial service providers and / or users. It also provides users with CS service performance assessment and notifications. The GSC sets up a competence center for OS and CS service aspects, which are accessible to users via the user help desk and the web portal. The information is provided by a communication platform, an electronic library with Galileo and GNSS reference documentation as well as by the ad hoc provision of specific Galileo information. The GSC supports the Open Service and Commercial Service and their applications.