Latest from Kourou: Galileo 11&12 launch

Date: Tue, Dec 15, 2015 GMT

FTP only

Type: ESA TV News

Format: 16:9

Another pair of  satellites for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched on 17 December. Lift off is scheduled at 11:51 GMT (08:51 local time).

Galileo Sat 11&12 are currently being prepared at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, for their launch on top a Soyuz rocket.

This is the third launch this year for the Galileo system, after the successful launches last September and March.

With this launch the total number of Galileo satellites in space will have doubled within a year, setting the programme on track for the start of initial services end of 2016.

So Galileo is now more than a reality, with 1/3 of the Constellation up and running and its ground segment deployed worldwide.

This launch also marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the GIOVE A satellite, the first Galileo test-satellite. In 10 years Galileo has become a reality.

In the present globalised world it is important that Europe maintains autonomy in a certain number of key domains: Global Positioning by satellite is one of them.

As Europe’s own global navigation system, Galileo will provide a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control to users in Europe and across the world.

Galileo is currently in a so called Full Operational Capability phase which is managed and fully funded by the European Commission. The Commission and the European Space Agency have signed a delegation agreement by which ESA acts as design and procurement agent on behalf of the Commission.

B Roll shows the latest images of the launch campaign in Kourou for Galileo sat 11 and 12 and their Soyuz launcher.

This  B-Roll is  posted on ESA TV FTP server : 

Server: tvdownload.esa.int
Login: esa
Password: ftp4esa

Directory : Galileo 11 - 12

 

 

More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Navigation