NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Galileo FOC FM19-FM22

Launch Time
Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:25 UTC

Final flight of Ariane 5 ES. Flight VA244.

Rocket

Ariane 5 ES
Image Credit: Arianespace
Arianespace
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 15,120 kN
Payload to LEO: 21,000 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 2
Rocket Height: 50.5 m
Fairing Diameter: 5.4 m
Fairing Height: 17.0 m

Mission Details

Galileo FOC FM19-22

Galileo is a global navigation satellite system that went live in 2016, created by the European Union through the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by the European GNSS Agency (GSA). The €10 billion project is named after the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. One of the aims of Galileo is to provide an independent high-precision positioning system so European nations do not have to rely on the US GPS, or the Russian GLONASS systems, which could be disabled or degraded by their operators at any time.

The use of basic (lower-precision) Galileo services is free and open to everyone. The higher-precision capabilities are available for paying commercial users. Galileo is intended to provide horizontal and vertical position measurements within 1-metre precision, and better positioning services at higher latitudes than other positioning systems. Galileo is also to provide a new global search and rescue (SAR) function as part of the MEOSAR system.

The first Galileo test satellite, the GIOVE-A, was launched on 28 December 2005, while the first satellite to be part of the operational system was launched on 21 October 2011. By July 2018, 26 of the planned 30 active satellites (including spares) were in orbit. Galileo started offering Early Operational Capability (EOC) on 15 December 2016, providing initial services with a weak signal and reached Full Operational Capability (FOC) in 2019. The full Galileo constellation will consist of 24 active satellites, which is expected by 2021. It is expected that the next generation of satellites will begin to become operational after 2025 to replace older equipment, which can then be used for backup capabilities.

FOC FM19 was named Tara, FM20 Samuel, FM21 Anna and FM22 Ellen.

Payloads: 4
Total Mass: 2,100.0 kg
Medium Earth Orbit

Location

ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Stats

2018

60th orbital launch attempt

Arianespace

259th mission
4th mission of 2018
250th successful mission
3rd consecutive successful mission

Ariane 5

99th mission
3rd mission of 2018
94th successful mission
2nd consecutive successful mission