# Galileo's reprogrammable signal generator passes initial tests

_Published Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 7:07 AM EDT · Infrastructure, Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Galileo's reprogrammable signal generator passes initial tests — Primary](https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2026/10/galileo_second_generation_radiofrequency_output_module/27582093-1-eng-GB/Galileo_Second_Generation_radiofrequency_output_module_pillars.jpg)

The first signal generation module for Galileo's second-generation satellites has passed testing in Toulouse and returned to Friedrichshafen for further integration, ESA said. The module converts atomic-clock timing into navigation signals and can be reprogrammed in orbit to generate new signals.

That flexibility is intended to improve resistance to interference, acquisition speed and positioning accuracy. Airbus and Thales Alenia Space are building twelve second-generation satellites, with six currently at different integration stages in Airbus's Friedrichshafen factory. The tested module will next be paired with its radio-frequency output module; payload testing and full integration of the first flight model are scheduled for next year.

## Sources

- [ESA Top News](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite_navigation/Galileo/New_brain_for_Galileo)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/DXMGjZjap69bsUQX7vgQyb
Published: 2026-10-20T11:07:43.956Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-20T08:11:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-20T15:24:09.684Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)