Celeste (LEO-PNT)

Celeste
OperatorESA
StatusPreparing for 1st launch
Constellation size
Nominal satellites10 (plus 2 spares)
Current usable satellites0
First launchNET Q1 2026
Last launchNET 2027
Orbital characteristics
Orbital height510 km (320 mi)
WebsiteLEO-PNT at ESA.int

Celeste is a future Low Earth orbit Positioning Navigation Timing (LEO-PNT)[1] satellite constellation by the European Space Agency (ESA) intended to demonstrate the usefulness of LEO satellites for complementing and enhancing the services of higher orbit systems like Galileo or EGNOS.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Launch of the first two satellites is planned for early 2026.[14][15][16][17][18]

Name

Celeste was named after Maria Celeste, a 17th century Poor Clares nun and a daughter of Galileo Galilei.[3]

Launches

First two satellites (Pathfinder A type), in the form of large CubeSats,[4] will be launched in early 2026[14] on a Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle from Launch Complex 1 on Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand[18] to a quasi-polar orbit.[6] Later, eight of the larger and more complex Pathfinder B satellites will be launched to similar orbits. The entire constellation of 10 satellites is planned to be completed in 2027.[4][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "LEO PNT: A Fundamental Evolution to Answer New Application Needs". Inside GNSS. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  2. ^ Cerdeira, R. Prieto; Giordano, P.; Cordero, M.; Grec, F.; Le Priellec, A.; Sarnadas, R.; Breeuwer, E.; Ait-Mohammed, N.; Anghileri, M. (1 October 2025). "Enhancing GNSS with a Low Earth Orbit layer: Celeste In-Orbit Demonstration Mission". Proceedings of the 38th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2025). pp. 2322–2331. doi:10.33012/2025.20324. ISBN 978-0-936406-42-8.
  3. ^ a b "Galileo 'daughter mission' name revealed: Celeste". ESA.int. European Space Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "ESA's LEO-PNT satellites set to launch by end of year". ESA.int. European Space Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Thales Alenia Space won European Space Agency's one of two LEO-PNT Orbit Demonstrators". Thales Alenia Space. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c An Overview of ESA's LEO-PNT In Orbit Demonstration Mission. International Technical Meeting. January 27 - 30, 2025. Long Beach, CA. 28 January 2025.
  7. ^ Khalil, Jesse (1 April 2024). "ESA invests €233 million to launch Genesis and LEO-PNT missions". GPS World. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  8. ^ Foust, Jeff (20 March 2024). "ESA awards three contracts for satellite navigation missions". SpaceNews.
  9. ^ "ESA's LEO-PNT IoD, a small constellation showcasing the interest of a Low Earth Orbit layer as part of GNSS System of System". SmallSat Europe. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  10. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (12 April 2024). "US, Europe Testing LEO Navigation Technologies, but Don't Call them GNSS 'Alternatives'". Space Intel Report – via Kratos Space.
  11. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (20 March 2024). "ESA Awards €233M for Three Navigation Satellites". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  12. ^ Ries, Lionel; Limon, Miguel Cordero; Grec, Florin-Catalin; Anghileri, Marco; Prieto-Cerdeira, Roberto; Abel, Felix; Miguez, Javier; Perello-Gisbert, Jose Vicente; D'Addio, Salvatore; Ioannidis, Rigas; Ostillio, Alessandra; Rapisarda, Manuela; Sarnadas, Rui; Testani, Paride (24 April 2023). "LEO-PNT for Augmenting Europe's Space-based PNT Capabilities". 2023 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS). IEEE. pp. 329–337. doi:10.1109/PLANS53410.2023.10139999. ISBN 978-1-6654-1772-3.
  13. ^ Aeroespacial, Actualidad (4 September 2025). "Celeste, la nueva misión de ESA para reforzar la navegación por satélite en órbita baja". Actualidad Aeroespacial (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  14. ^ a b "European satellite navigation opens new chapter at ESA's Ministerial Council". www.esa.int. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Rocket Lab to launch Electron mission for ESA's next-generation navigation system". SatNews. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  16. ^ Wall, Robert (26 June 2025). "Rocket Lab To Launch ESA Low-Earth-Orbit PNT Spacecraft With Electron". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Rocket Lab to Launch Electron Mission for European Space Agency's Next-Generation Navigation System" (Press release). Business Wire. 25 June 2025.
  18. ^ a b Khalil, Jesse (8 September 2025). "ESA's Celeste LEO-PNT demonstrator mission set to launch in December". GPS World. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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