LAUNCH CENTER

Launch Image
Success
Thu Dec 17 2015
Arianespace

Galileo FOC-7 & Galileo FOC-8

Launch Successful
LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

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(11:51 AM UTC)

Launch Window Start

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(11:51 AM UTC)

Launch Window End

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(11:51 AM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Soyuz STB Fregat

Description:

The 2.1b version adds an upgraded engine (RD-0124) with improved performance to the second stage. The first launch occurred from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43 on 26 July 2008 with a classified military payload. The 2.1b/ST version is sometimes called Soyuz ST-B.

Soyuz STB Fregat rocket
MISSION OVERVIEW
  • Type: Communications
  • The 7th and 8th “Full Operational Capability” satellites will be the 11th and 12th Galileo satellites launched, alongside the 6 FOC and 4 IOV spacecraft already in orbit. The Galileo constellation is ESA’s satellite navigation system and is expected to be completed by 2020. Galileo will provide Europe with an alternative to the American GPS and Russian GLONASS constellations, but will be interoperable with both systems.
COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Pad

Soyuz Launch Complex