The next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched together on 11 September, taking its orbital constellation a step closer to initial services. Media are invited to take part in an audio briefing on 10 September.

Galileos 9/10 are scheduled to lift off at 02:08 GMT on 11 September (04:08 CEST; 23:08 local time, 10 September) 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 satellites in space up to 10. Two further Galileo satellites are planned to launch by the end of the year.

Further Galileo FOC satellites are currently taking shape: their payloads are being constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd 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.

Pre-launch media briefing
Didier Faivre, ESA’s Director of the Galileo Programme and Navigation-related Activities will hold an audio-only press briefing on “the status and perspectives of the Galileo programme” on 10 September at 14:00 to 15:00 (CEST).

Media interested in joining the briefing should request access information via email to ESA’s Media Relations Office at: media@esa.int by Tuesday, 8 September 2015 at the latest.

Covering the launch
ESA TV
In cooperation with Arianespace, ESA TV provides broadcasters with free live videostream of the launch. Several stories have also been prepared, on Galileo. More information at: http://www.esa.int/esatv/Television

Social media
Twitter: @ESA, @GalileoGNSS and the hashtag #Galileo