Next Galileo satellites to launch in September

Details have been announced regarding the launch of the next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system.

Satellites 9/10 will be launched together on 11 September 2015, taking its orbital constellation a step closer to initial services. The satellites are scheduled to lift off at 02:08 GMT 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.

This is the fifth Galileo launch, set to bring the number of Galileo satellites in space up to ten. Two further Galileo satellites are planned to launch by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, further Galileo Full Operational Capability satellites are currently taking shape, with payloads being constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology in Guildford, UK, while the platforms and overall integration are the responsibility of OHB in Bremen, Germany.

In future, the number of Galileo satellites that can be inserted into orbit with a single launch will double from two to four, when a specially customised Ariane 5 launcher becomes available along with the Soyuz launcher currently in use.