Four Galileo satellites have been launched on 25 July
Galileo satellites 23–26 were carried aloft by Arianespace Ariane 5 Flight VA244, lifting off from the Kourou Spaceport, French Guiana, at 0825 local time (1125 UTC). The first pair of ~715 kg satellites was released ~3h 36m after liftoff, with the second pair separated 20m later.
The satellites were released into the target 22,922km initial altitude orbit, inclined at 56º, by the dispenser in the Ariane 5 upper stage. Over the next few days the 4 will be steered into their final working orbits to begin ~6 months of tests to verify their operational readiness before joining the operational constellation.
ESA’s Director General commented: ‘Galileo is ESA’s largest ever satellite constellation, built up to its present size in rapid time, with 22 Full Operational Capability satellites added within just the last 4 years. We must thank our industrial partners OHB (DE) and SSTL (GB) for the satellites, as well as Thales Alenia Space (FR/IT) and Airbus Defence and Space (GB/FR) for the ground segment and all their subcontractors throughout Europe for their continued support to the programme . .’
ESA’s Director of Navigation added: ‘Galileo has been providing Initial Services on a worldwide basis since 15 December 2016, and today has more than 100 million users, and rapidly increasing. Today’s satellites will increase the global coverage of Galileo with a performance that is widely recognised as excellent’. He also explained that, although this is the end of the current phase of deployment, a further 12 Galileo ‘Batch 3’ satellites are in preparation as in-orbit spares and replacements for the oldest satellites, first launched in 2011.
There are now 26 Galileo satellites in orbit:
- 14 usable
- 4 under commissioning
- 4 (just launched) being positioned
- 2 under testing
- 2 not available
The Galileo full operational constellation will comprise 24 operational satellites plus 6 spares in 3 circular ~14-hour medium-Earth orbits (MEO), at an altitude of 23,222km and inclination 56º. Worldwide Full Operational Capability (FOC) - comprising Open Service (OS), Commercial Service (CS), Public Regulated Service (PRS) and Search and Rescue Service (SAR) - is scheduled for 2020.
Email to a Friend