” The objective, if effective, the 2 new Galileo satellites will grow the European worldwide satellite navigation satellite to 28 satellites. The nearly six-year-old constellation serves 2.3 billion users around the world, Arianespace stated in launch documentation.Related: How rockets work: A total guideImage 1 of 3An Arianespace Soyuz rocket carrying two new Galileo navigation satellites launches into orbit from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Dec. 4, 2021. (Image credit: ESA/CNES-Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG – P. Piron) Image 3 of 3An Arianespace Soyuz rocket carrying 2 new Galileo navigation satellites introduces into orbit from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Dec. 4, 2021. (Image credit: Arianespace) The 26 Galileo satellites now in orbit were released both by Soyuz rockets and by the companys own heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 5.
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket introduced into the nighttime sky over French Guiana late Saturday (Dec. 4) to provide 2 brand-new satellites into orbit for Europes Galileo navigation system. The Soyuz rocket lifted off at 7:19 p.m. EST (0019 GMT) from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, lighting up the evening sky with orange flames as it soared into orbit with the brand-new Galileo navigation satellites. They were anticipated to reach their final orbit just under 4 hours after liftoff.” The beast in action,” Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël wrote on Twitter of the Soyuz rocket after the launch. “On board our Soyuz, two Galileo satellites for [the European Space Agency], on behalf of the EU Commission.” The mission, if effective, the 2 brand-new Galileo satellites will grow the European international satellite navigation satellite to 28 satellites. The almost six-year-old constellation serves 2.3 billion users all over the world, Arianespace said in launch documentation.Related: How rockets work: A complete guideImage 1 of 3An Arianespace Soyuz rocket bring two new Galileo navigation satellites launches into orbit from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Dec. 4, 2021. (Image credit: ESA/CNES-Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin) Image 2 of 3An Arianespace Soyuz rocket bring 2 brand-new Galileo navigation satellites introduces into orbit from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Dec. 4, 2021. (Image credit: ESA/CNES-Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG – P. Piron) Image 3 of 3An Arianespace Soyuz rocket carrying 2 new Galileo navigation satellites releases into orbit from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Dec. 4, 2021. (Image credit: Arianespace) Arianespace used a Soyuz rocket produced by the Progress Space Rocket Center, which is a part of the Russian space company Roscosmos. This is the 14th time this collaboration aimed to send a Galileo objective to area, Arianespace said.The objective is being carried out for the European Space Agency (ESA), on behalf of the European Commission, to bring “tactical autonomy and sovereignty to the EU [European Union] citizens and its member states,” Arianespace said of the mission.Galileo is similar to the United States Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Glonass system, however intends to give Europeans a homemade alternative need to one of these other systems end up being unavailable to them.An artists illustration of a Galileo navigation satellite in orbit. (Image credit: Arianespace) The 26 Galileo satellites now in orbit were introduced both by Soyuz rockets and by the companys own heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 5. Arianespace plans six more Galileo satellites in the coming years using Soyuz and a next-generation rocket Ariane 6 version called Ariane 62. The very first flight of the Ariane 6 rocket is anticipated now in 2022, postponed from 2020. Tonights objective, referred to as Galileo FOC-M9, will be the 61st mission introduced by Arianespace on behalf of ESA and will carry the 83rd and 84th satellites for the partnership. The delivered satellites will sign up with the remainder of the Galileo constellation in medium Earth orbit at 14,429 miles (23,222 kilometers), according to ESA documentation.Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook..
