The European Union (EU) announced yesterday that it will launch the first satellite in the Galileo satellite system in December. Preparations for this satellite launch are essentially complete.
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Model of the Galileo satellite system |
This satellite is named Giove and is set to be launched on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, according to a press release from the European Council. Following Giove, a second satellite is also scheduled for launch in spring 2006.
The first two satellites will help test the functionality of critical technologies and provide essential data for the operational environment of the satellite group within the Galileo system. Subsequently, in 2008, the agency plans to launch two more satellites.
Galileo is Europe’s satellite-based navigation program. It is seen as a competitor to the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russia’s GLONASS system.
T.VY (According to Xinhua)
