When the next pair of Galileo satellites is boosted into orbit next Friday, a team of mission control experts in Darmstadt, Germany, will spring into action, working around the clock to bring the duo through their critical first days in space.

Galileo satellites 9 and 10 are scheduled to lift off at 02:08 GMT (04:08 CEST) on 11 September from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on top of a Soyuz rocket.

This will be the fifth Galileo launch, set to bring the number of satellites in space up to 10. Two more satellites are planned to be launched by year end. Read more…

Europe’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites have been secured on top of their Fregat upper stage in preparation for launch next week.

Galileo 9 and 10 are due for launch atop a Soyuz rocket at 02:08 GMT on 11 September (04:08 CEST; 23:08 local time, 10 September) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Having been attached to their carrier last week, the pair of fully fuelled satellites was carefully lowered onto the waiting upper stage.

This latest part of the launch campaign took place on Wednesday, 2 September in the 3SB preparation building of the Guiana Space Centre. Read more…