Celeste (LEO-PNT)
| Operator | ESA |
|---|---|
| Status | Preparing for 1st launch |
| Constellation size | |
| Nominal satellites | 10 (plus 2 spares) |
| Current usable satellites | 0 |
| First launch | NET 24 March 2026 |
| Last launch | NET 2027 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Orbital height | 510 km (320 mi) |
| Website | LEO-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] Celeste was named after Maria Celeste, a 17th century Poor Clares nun and a daughter of Galileo Galilei.[3]
Satellites
First two satellites (IOD1-2, Pathfinder A type), in the form of large CubeSats,[4] one 12U and one 16U,[19][20] will be launched no earlier than 24 March 2026[19][14][21] on a Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle's flight "Daughter Of The Stars"[22] 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][23]
| Satellite | COSPAR ID | Satellite bus | Launch date | Launch vehicle | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOD-1[24][25] | TBA | 12U CubeSat | 24 March 2026 (planned) | Rocket Lab Electron | GMV, OHB |
| IOD-2[24][26] | TBA | 16U CubeSat | Thales Alenia Space |
See also
References
- ^ "LEO PNT: A Fundamental Evolution to Answer New Application Needs". Inside GNSS. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Galileo 'daughter mission' name revealed: Celeste". ESA.int. European Space Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b c "ESA's LEO-PNT satellites set to launch by end of year". ESA.int. European Space Agency. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Khalil, Jesse (1 April 2024). "ESA invests €233 million to launch Genesis and LEO-PNT missions". GPS World. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (20 March 2024). "ESA awards three contracts for satellite navigation missions". SpaceNews.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (20 March 2024). "ESA Awards €233M for Three Navigation Satellites". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "European satellite navigation opens new chapter at ESA's Ministerial Council". www.esa.int. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "Rocket Lab to launch Electron mission for ESA's next-generation navigation system". SatNews. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Rocket Lab to Launch Electron Mission for European Space Agency's Next-Generation Navigation System" (Press release). Business Wire. 25 June 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "ESA's Celeste target launch date confirmed". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
- ^ "Testing GMV's Celeste In-Orbit Demonstration CubeSat in an anechoic chamber". www.esa.int. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "CELESTE pre-launch media briefing". www.esa.int. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Daughter Of The Stars | Electron/Curie | Next Spaceflight". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ Piccin, Stefano (12 March 2026). "Pronti al lancio i primi due satelliti della rete CELESTE LEO-PNT dell'ESA". AstroSpace (in Italian). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Follow the Celeste launch campaign". www.esa.int. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Celeste is ready to fly! | GMV". www.gmv.com. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Fair Winds to Thales Alenia Space's First Celeste Demonstrator Satellite | Thales Alenia Space". www.thalesaleniaspace.com. 20 February 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.