EUROPEAN GNSS AGENCY (GSA)

European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA’s) mission is to support European Union objectives and achieve the highest return on European GNSS investment, in terms of benefits to users and economic growth and competitiveness, by:

• Designing and enabling services that fully respond to user needs, while continuously improving the European GNSS services and Infrastructure;
• Managing the provision of quality services that ensure user satisfaction in the most cost-efficient manner;
• Engaging market stakeholders to develop innovative and effective applications, value-added services and user technology that promote the achievement of full European GNSS adoption;
• Ensuring that European GNSS services and operations are thoroughly secure, safe and accessible.

Promoting the use of EGNOS and GALILEO

Over the past decade, the GNSS market, including upstream infrastructure and downstream user applications, has been growing at double-digit rates. This growth is only expected to accelerate as new satellite systems with superior performance, such as EGNOS and Galileo, become operational and further increase the number of applications.

The GSA plays a key role in the development of commercial markets for EGNOS and Galileo by:

• Promoting the use of EGNOS to high potential user sectors;
• Managing EU-funded research on innovative satellite navigation applications and technologies and leveraging the results;
• Preparing the market for the take-up of Galileo;
• Monitoring the GNSS market and forecasting future developments.

Ensuring the Security of the European GNSS Programmes

The proper functioning and performance of the Galileo system and services require that a range of highly sophisticated and state-of-the-art security measures, facilities and plans be put in place now.

The GSA handles a range of matters relating to the security of GNSS systems such as:

• Operating the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) – The GSMC will allow the GSA to monitor the security related status and performance of Galileo and the secure operation of the PRS.
• Ensuring the functioning of the Security Accreditation Board of the EU GNSS systems, which takes accreditation decisions related to system and site operations, authorisation to launch satellites and PRS receivers.
• Securing the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) – ensuring its availability, integrity and confidentiality.
• Developing the PRS user segment, making high-performance PRS receivers available at an affordable price.

The GSA is also entrusted key tasks by the European Commission, including:

• Operations and service provision for the EGNOS Programme (since 2014)
• Operations and service provision for the Galileo Programme (from 2017)
• Managing EU GNSS research under the Horizon 2020 Programme