The Galileo satellite GSAT0104 has been decommissioned after its 13 years operational life.

Visual_decommissioning

 

On 16/04/2025 the Galileo satellite GSAT0104 (also known as Sif ) has concluded its 13 years operational life.


Galileo satellite GSAT0104 belongs to the first group of four IOV satellites. It was launched successfully on 12/10/2012, together with its companion GSAT0103 from Kourou Spaceport, in French Guyana.


The satellite was taken out of Navigation Service in mid-2014, due to a failure in the Navigation Antenna affecting the transmission of Galileo navigation signals. Nevertheless, it continued to contribute to the SAR Forward Link Service with the support of the GSC SAR ground segment for the distribution of the ephemeris until now. 


In 2021, the satellite was relocated from its original nominal orbital slot to a spare slot and the decision to decommission it was taken by the Galileo Programme at the end of 2023 and announced in NAGU#2024015, due to the satellite reaching its end of life.


The decommissioning activity was executed in two distinct phases: 

  • a first phase that included the satellite orbit raising to a target altitude of 700 km above the original orbit altitude
  • and a second phase that included the depletion of the propellent tank and the satellite platform passivation. 

 “We bid farewell to Galileo satellite GSAT0104. Despite facing challenges, it continued to serve, contributing to the SAR Forward Link Service until its final days. This decommissioning reminds us of the continuous evolution of our satellite constellation" , says Guerric Pont, Galileo Exploitation Programme Manager at the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). 


During the decommissioning phase, the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (EU SST) and its Front Desk managed by EUSPA, in close collaboration with the Collision Avoidance Operational Centres (FR-SSA, S3TOC), has been actively supporting this endeavour.


You can find the updated status of the Galileo constellation in the Constellation Information section of the GSC website

 

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