Galileo, Galileo, Galileo good to go!

Two new Euro-satnav birds go aloft without incident

Not one but two of the European Space Agency's Galileo satellite navigation craft were successfully launched in the small hours of Europe's Friday morning.

The two new satellites, Galileo-9 and Galileo-10, aka “Alba” and “Oriana” will be joined in orbit later in 2015 by another pair. One of those birds is ready to fly, the other is undergoing final testing. Two more Galileos, numbers 13 and 14, are in early stages of testing ahead of 2016 launches. The project has commissioned 22 satellites.

Today's launch used a Soviet Soyuz rocket comprising three stages beneath a “Fregat” payload module.

The space agency has told the story of today's launch in Tweets, so why don't we too?

We have liftoff: Alba and Oriana, have a nice ride on #Soyuz! #Galileo @eu_commission @esa pic.twitter.com/6bU7onJEhM

— Stéphane Israël (@arianespaceceo) September 11, 2015

Shutdown (and venting?) of the #Fregat upperstage, placing @esa #Galileo 9 & 10 in a transfer orbit @esaoperations pic.twitter.com/7tqHTEIjJ1

— Cees (@cgbassa) September 11, 2015

CONFIRMED: #Galileo satellites 9&10 have separated from their Fregat upper stage & dispenser pic.twitter.com/Fy5eTJNiVY

— ESA (@esa) September 11, 2015

Once the entire Galileo constellation is aloft, it may have competition: China's this week talked up domestic adoption of its Beidou Navigation Satellite System, which will have 35 satellites once complete. Rival nations and groups are building their own satellite navigation capabilities to provide better local service and also with one eye firmly fixed on the strategic benefits that come from owning one's own platform rather than relying on the US-operated GPS system. ®