More work linked to an EU-funded satellite programme has been secured by specialist IT group SCISYS as it continues to benefit from its long-running expertise in the space industry.
The firm, which has an office in Bristol, won two orders with a combined €9.7m (£8.4m) value from Thales Alenia Space France to support its work on the ground segment of the Galileo European satellite-navigation system, pictured. 
Chippenham-headquartered SCISYS, which has its roots in the European Space Agency, will develop and implement security-relevant elements within the Galileo Ground Segment for the French group.
The contract follows two initial orders from Thales Alenia Space France valued at €3m announced on by SCISYS on Christmas Eve and were part of a five-order haul worth more than €21m landed by the firm from European contractors in just a month.
Under the latest orders – won through its German subsidiary – SCISYS will supply Thales Alenia Space France with software and support for the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC-U) and the Point of Contact Platforms (POCP-U) elements of the Galileo programme, which provides a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control.
SCISYS’ Space division in Germany will develop and deliver the GSMC-U element, responsible for the implementation of various security features and mechanisms within Galileo, including the distribution of configurations to the POCP-U in member states.
The division has also been assigned to develop and deliver the POCP-U element as the local counterpart in all member states to the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC). The POCP-U will serve as an interface to the GSMC on a national level.
These significant follow-on orders cement SCISYS Space’s position as an expert for innovative ground-segment work and as a long-standing partner of Thales Alenia Space, the prime contractor to the European Space Agency.
SCISYS CEO Klaus Heidrich said: “We are delighted with these significant follow-on orders, which further strengthen our order book and position in the EU-funded Galileo satellite navigation programme, notwithstanding Brexit uncertainties. We remain optimistic for the group’s prospects.”
SCISYS, which last year moved its parent company from the UK to Ireland to protect its EU-funded work, also supplies its bespoke software systems and support services to the media & broadcast, government, defence and commerce sectors,
The group employs around 650 staff across its four UK and four German offices. Its blue-chip customers also include the Environment Agency, the Ministry of Defence, Airbus Defence & Space, the BBC and the National Trust.
In March it reported annual pre-tax profits of just under £2m on revenues of £54.4m and a record order book of £98.6m against £88.2m in 2017.
