Guildford-based Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) (www.sstl.co.uk) and Germany’s OHB System AG (www.ohb-system.de) are to build a third batch of eight satellites for Europe’s Galileo navigation fleet under a contract worth more than $350 million.

The European Space Agency and the European Commission selected the same German-British industrial team that is currently manufacturing the first 22 fully operational Galileo satellites.

The navigation payloads will be provided by SSTL, and final assembly of the eight new satellites will take place at OHB’s factory in Bremen.

The latest order (announced at the end of June) will bring the total number of Galileo spacecraft to 34, including four In-Orbit Validation (IOV) platforms built by Airbus Defense and Space (launched in 2011 and 2012 and designed to be incorporated into the operational Galileo fleet).

Gary Lay, SSTL’s director of navigation, said: “SSTL is delighted to have been selected to build the third batch of navigation payloads needed to complete the initial Galileo constellation.

“I am confident that the OHB-SSTL solution offered the lowest risk and best value for money, and I believe that our selection as the payload provider for the third time in succession demonstrates a high regard for our work.”

SSTL said the navigation payload on the new Galileo satellites — including European-sourced atomic clocks, L-band navigation signal generators, high-power travelling wave tube amplifiers and antennas — is largely a “recurrent build” of the payload on the existing satellites.

One exception is the atomic clocks, which will incorporate several upgrades and advances.