SmartMEO
OHB System AG
Medium-Earth-orbit navigation satellite platform proven on 34 Galileo FOC satellites at ~23,616 km altitude.
Technical specifications
- Orbit
- Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), ~23,616 km, 56° inclination
- Launch Mass
- ~733 kg
- Propulsion
- 8x 1 N hydrazine thrusters
- Design Lifetime
- > 12 years
- Heritage
- 34x Galileo FOC satellites (ESA/European Commission)
- Payload
- Navigation atomic clocks (H-maser + rubidium), SAR transponder
About
SmartMEO is OHB System AG’s medium-Earth-orbit satellite platform, developed specifically to meet the demanding requirements of navigation constellation missions. The bus is the foundation of the Galileo Full Operational Capability (FOC) constellation — the backbone of Europe’s global navigation satellite system — for which OHB System AG serves as prime contractor across multiple contracts covering a total of 34 satellites.
Each SmartMEO-based Galileo FOC satellite has a launch mass of approximately 733 kg and operates at ~23,616 km in a 56° inclined circular orbit. The platform accommodates precision atomic clock navigation payloads (two passive hydrogen masers and two rubidium atomic clocks per satellite), MEO search and rescue transponders, and laser retroreflectors. Propulsion relies on eight 1-N hydrazine thrusters for orbit maintenance and attitude control.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
