Today, the European Union, represented by the European Commission, formalised the transfer of full ownership of the Telemetry, Tracking and Control (TT&C)-5 Antenna, also known as RED-1 TTC, from the European Space Agency (ESA) to the European Union. The RED-1 TTC antenna plays an important role in supporting Galileo, Europe’s global satellite navigation system, which has become a cornerstone of the continent’s sovereignty.
The transfer was marked by a signing ceremony in Brussels, underscoring the strong cooperation between the EU, ESA and the Kingdom of Belgium in supporting Europe’s strategic space capabilities.
The ceremony saw the signing of two agreements.
First, a bilateral agreement between the European Union, represented by the European Commission, and ESA for the transfer of full ownership of the RED-1 TTC antenna to the Galileo component of the EU Space Programme.
Second, a trilateral agreement between the European Union, represented by the European Commission, ESA and the Kingdom of Belgium for the hosting of the RED-1 TTC antenna at the European Security and Education Centre (ESEC) in Redu, Belgium.
With over 4 billion users worldwide, Galileo provides the most precise positioning, navigation and timing services, rivalling global competitors while ensuring European independence in critical infrastructure.