Giove-B launched

The Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle carrying GIOVE-B, the second of ESA's two Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element demonstrators for the Galileo global navigation satellite system, lifts off from launch complex at the Baikonour spaceport, Kazakhstan, on April 27, 2008 (Picture: ESA).

28.04.2008

A further step towards the deployment of Europe's Galileo global navigation satellite system was taken with the successful launch of ESA's second Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE-B)satellite, carrying the most accurate atomic clock ever flown into space.

The GIOVE-B satellite was lofted into a medium altitude orbit around the earth by a Soyuz/Fregat rocket departing from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan by launch operator Starsem. Lift-off occurred 27th of April at 04:16 local time on 27 April (00:16 Central European Summer Time). The Fregat upper stage performed a series of manoeuvres to reach a circular orbit at an altitude of about 23 200 km, inclined at 56 degrees to the Equator, before safely delivering the satellite into orbit some 3 hours and 45 minutes later. The two solar panels that generate electricity to power the spacecraft deployed correctly and were fully operational by 05:28 CEST.

This 500 kg satellite was built by a European industrial team led by Astrium GmbH, with Thales Alenia Space performing integration and testing in Rome. Two years after the highly successful GIOVE-A mission, this latest satellite will continue the demonstration of critical technologies for the navigation payload of future operational Galileo satellites.

Read more from ESA´s webpage.

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