Skip to main content
European Commission logo
Defence Industry and Space
Galileo, Satellite Navigation Made in Europe
Galileo, satellite navigation made in Europe

Galileo at a glance

Galileo in action

Galileo consists of 30 satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of 23,000 km. The signals of Galileo are freely transmitted to anyone who has a device capable of receiving its signals (e.g., smartphone). 

Most of its services are provided free of charge all around the world.   

Galileo offers the following high-performance services worldwide:  

  • Open Service (OS)
  • High Accuracy Service (HAS)
  • Public Regulated Service (PRS)
  • Search and Rescue Service (SAR)
  • Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) 

New services under development  

  • Signal Authentication Service (SAS)
  • Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS)
  • Timing Service (TS) 

Use cases

  • Agriculture

    Galileo helps farmers accurately guide their tractors and spay fertilisers and water only where needed, therefore reducing emissions and saving water. 

  • Maritime

    Thanks to Galileo ships can optimise they routes and reduce CO2 emissions. 

  • Location Based Services

    Mobile application that use geolocation such as maps and rideshare apps can benefit from Galileo’s additional accuracy.

  • Timing and Synchronization

    Galileo is used to precisely timestamp bank and financial transactions. 

Galileo in a nutshell – An introduction to Europe’s global, satellite-based navigation system
Want to learn more?

Useful Resources

Galileo Work Programme
Regulation