Editing Galileo (satellite navigation) (section)

=== Science projects using Galileo ===
In July 2006, an international consortium of universities and research institutions embarked on a study of potential scientific applications of the Galileo constellation. This project, named GEO6,<ref name="gnss-geo6.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.gnss-geo6.org/|title=gnss-geo6.org|access-date=5 October 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213175442/http://www.gnss-geo6.org/|archive-date=13 February 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a broad study oriented to the general scientific community, aiming to define and implement new applications of Galileo.

Among the various GNSS users identified by the Galileo Joint Undertaking,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galileoju.com|title=Galileoju.com|website=Galileoju.com}}{{Verify source|date=July 2021}}</ref> the GEO6,<ref name="gnss-geo6.org"/> project addresses the Scientific User Community (UC). The GEO6<ref name="gnss-geo6.org"/> project aims at fostering possible novel applications within the scientific UC of GNSS signals, and particularly of Galileo.

The AGILE<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.galileo-in-lbs.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606235159/http://www.galileo-in-lbs.com/|url-status=dead|title=Galileo in LBS|archive-date=6 June 2008}}</ref> project is an EU-funded project devoted to the study of the technical and commercial aspects of [[Location-based service|location-based services (LBS)]]. It includes technical analysis of the benefits brought by Galileo (and [[European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service|EGNOS]]) and studies the hybridisation of Galileo with other positioning technologies (network-based, WLAN, etc.). Within these projects, some pilot prototypes were implemented and demonstrated.

On the basis of the potential number of users, potential revenues for Galileo Operating Company or Concessionaire (GOC), international relevance, and level of innovation, a set of Priority Applications (PA) will be selected by the consortium and developed within the time-frame of the same project.

These applications will help to increase and optimise the use of the [[EGNOS]] services and the opportunities offered by the Galileo Signal Test-Bed (GSTB-V2) and the Galileo (IOV) phase.

All Galileo satellites are equipped with laser [[retroreflector]] arrays which allow them to be tracked by the stations of the International Laser Ranging Service.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bury |first1=Grzegorz |last2=Sośnica |first2=Krzysztof |last3=Zajdel |first3=Radosław |title=Multi-GNSS orbit determination using satellite laser ranging |journal=Journal of Geodesy |date=2019 |volume=93 |issue=12 |pages=2447–2463 |doi=10.1007/s00190-018-1143-1 |bibcode=2019JGeod..93.2447B |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Satellite laser ranging]] to Galileo satellites are used for the validation of satellite orbits,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sośnica |first1=Krzysztof |last2=Prange |first2=Lars |last3=Kaźmierski |first3=Kamil |last4=Bury |first4=Grzegorz |last5=Hadaś |first5=Tomasz |title=Validation of Galileo orbits using SLR with a focus on satellites launched into incorrect orbital planes |journal=Journal of Geodesy |date=2018 |volume=92 |issue=2 |pages=131–148 |doi=10.1007/s00190-017-1050-x|bibcode=2018JGeod..92..131S |doi-access=free}}</ref> determination of Earth rotation parameters<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sośnica |first1=Krzysztof |last2=Bury |first2=Grzegorz |last3=Zajdel |first3=Radosław |title=Contribution of Multi-GNSS Constellation to SLR-Derived Terrestrial Reference Frame |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |date=2018 |volume=45 |issue=5 |pages=2339–2348 |doi=10.1002/2017GL076850 |bibcode=2018GeoRL..45.2339S |s2cid=134160047 |doi-access=}}</ref> and for the combined solutions incorporating laser and microwave observations.