Two spacecraft will ride to orbit atop a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana. The pair incorporate next-generation technologies that should deliver more precise timing and location data than the current American GPS network. But Galileo is still years away from full operation. A further 28 satellites will be needed to complete its orbiting constellation. Read more
The European Space Agency, Arianespace and the European Commission announced that the launch of the first two satellites of Europe's global navigation satellite system is planned to take place on 20 October The two Galileo satellites will be deployed using a Soyuz 2-1b launcher. The October launch will mark the inaugural Soyuz flight from its new launch facilities in Kourou, French Guiana, built in the framework of a joint program of Russia and France.
The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Wednesday October 19, 2011 and authorised count-down operations for the Soyuz - Galileo IOV-1 launch. Arianespace's first launch of the Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana will orbit the first two satellites in Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system. With the Soyuz launcher operating out of the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, Arianespace will be the only launch services provider in the world capable of launching all types of payloads to all orbits, from the smallest to the largest geostationary satellites, along with clusters of satellites for constellations and missions to support the International Space Station. The launch will be from the Soyuz Launch Complex (ELS) in Sinnamary, French Guiana.
Liftoff is scheduled for Thursday, October 20 at exactly:
7:34:28 am local time 10:34:28 UT 12:34:28 pm in Paris 6:34:28 am in Washington, D.C. 2:34:28 pm in Moscow.
Follow the launch of Europe's first Galileo navigation satellites on Russia's first Soyuz rocket from Europe's Spaceport. Liftoff is scheduled at 12:34 CEST (10:34 GMT, 07:34 local time), Thursday 20 October. Streaming begins at 11:30 CEST. See more
The historic mating occurred last Friday 14 October. The three-stage Soyuz ST-B had already been raised to the vertical on its launch pad. Then its mobile gantry was used to hoist the Upper Composite containing the satellites and Fregat-MT upper stage into position on top of the Soyuz.
Arianespace's first launch of the Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana will place the first two satellites in the Galileo constellation into circular orbit at 23,000 km, as part of the IOV (In Orbit Validation) program. The launcher will be carrying a total payload of 1580 kg, including 1400 kg for the IOV-1 PFM and FM2 satellites, which will be released into their targeted orbits.
The launch will be from the Soyuz Launch Complex (ELS) in Sinnamary, French Guiana. Targeted orbit : circular medium Earth orbit Altitude : 23222 km Inclination : 54.7 degrees
Liftoff is scheduled for Thursday, October 20 at exactly: 07:34:28 am local time 10:34:28 UTC 12:34:28 pm in Paris 06:34:28 am in Washington, D.C. 03:34:28 pm in Moscow
Final assembly of the very first Soyuz to be launched from French Guiana on 20 October began on 12 September in the assembly and testing building - known by its original 'MIK' Russian acronym. The three-stage Soyuz ST-B comprises four first-stage boosters clustered around the core second stage, topped off by the third stage. The rocket will carry the first two satellites of Europe's Galileo navigation system into orbit. This time-lapse movie shows the assembly activities between 13-19 September 2011.
These testbed satellites will be followed by four IOV Galileo satellites that will be much closer to the final Galileo satellite design. The Search & Rescue feature is not installed. The first two satellites are scheduled to launch on 20 October 2011 from Guiana Space Centre using the Soyuz launcher. Once this In-Orbit Validation (IOV) phase has been completed, the remaining satellites will be installed to reach the Full Operational Capability. Those 4 IOV Galileo satellites were constructed by Astrium Gmbh and Thales Alenia Space. Read more