ESA and Arianespace representatives visit the Soyuz Launch Zone

ESA and Arianespace representatives visit the Soyuz Launch Zone, on 10 September 2015.

From left: Patrick Loire, Arianespace Vice President in French Guiana, Programmes Directorate; Joel Donadel, Head of the ESA Kourou Office; Fernando Doblas, Head of the ESA Communication Department; Franco Bonacina, spokesperson for the ESA Director General; Jan Wörner, ESA Director General; Gaele Winters, ESA’s Director of Launchers.

The next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched together on 11 September, taking its orbital constellation a step closer to initial services.

Galileo satellites 9-10 are scheduled to lift off at 02:08 GMT on 11 September 2015 (04:08 CEST; 23:08 local time, 10 September 2015) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on top of a Soyuz rocket. They are expected to become operational, after initial in-orbit testing, later in the autumn.