 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| . |  |
. |
 by Staff Writers Paris (AFP) Feb 25, 2016
Europe will launch an extra pair of satellites this year in a bid to speed up full deployment of its multi-billion-euro Galileo sat-nav system, launch firm Arianespace said Thursday. The additional launch from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, is planned for May 2016, followed by a already scheduled four-satellite launch towards the end of the year, the company said in a statement. "With these two launches, six new galileo satellites will be deployed in 2016, as in 2015, bringing the total number in the constellation to 18 by the end of the year," said Arianespace. Galileo, Europe's rival to America's GPS, will ultimately comprise 30 orbiters. Arianespace has earlier said that initial services can start once 16 are in place. The project, which will also provide crucial search-and-rescue services, has been plagued by delays, technical glitches and budgetary difficulties. The launch of the seventh and eighth orbiters in March last year was about three months late to allow engineers time to probe an August 2014 mishap that sent satellites five and six into a lopsided orbit. The pair have since been manoeuvred into a better, more circular path. The mishap was blamed on frozen fuel pipes on the Soyuz rocket's fourth stage, called Fregat -- a problem the European Space Agency says has since been fixed. The launch of satellites five and six -- meant to have been the first fully operational Galileo orbiters -- had itself been delayed by more than a year due to "technical difficulties". The first four orbiters were launched in 2011 and 2012. The European Commission has budgeted seven billion euros ($7.7 billion) for the project until 2020. The remaining satellites will be launched using a combination of Russian Soyuz rockets, which can take two into space at a time, and Europe's own Ariane 5 ES launcher, which is being adapted to handle four. The extra Soyuz launch for 2016 had been approved by the European Commission, the European Union's executive body and programme manager of the Galileo programme, said the statement.
Related Links GPS Applications, Technology and Suppliers
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
