Galileo emerging from TVAC

The first Galileo Full Operational Capability satellite seen emerging on 29 November 2013 from the Phenix test chamber after five weeks of thermal–vacuum testing. The testing, simulating space environmental conditions, took place at the ESTEC Test Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, Europe's largest spacecraft testing facility. This foreshortened view of Galileo highlights the thrusters on the top of the satellite as well as its main navigation antenna, covered with silver-coloured multilayer-insulation. Beside the navigation antenna is a gridded laser retroreflector, upon which a laser can be shone from Earth to measure Galileo's precise position in space. The projecting C-band antenna beside receives mission data and navigation corrections from uplink stations on the ground. Projecting elements of the satellite's search and rescue antenna can be glimpsed on the far side of the main antenna. (Released with endorsement of the ESA Security Office)