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Watch the Launch of Galileo 9 and 10

September 10, 2015  - By
On Sept. 7, the upper composite containing Galileos 9–10 was transferred to the launch pad, then hoisted up to the top of the Soyuz launch tower to be joined to the other stages.

On Sept. 7, the upper composite containing Galileos 9–10 was transferred to the launch pad, then hoisted up to the top of the Soyuz launch tower to be joined to the other stages.

Galileo 9 and 10 are due for launch atop a Soyuz rocket at 02:08 GMT on Sept. 11 (04:08 CEST; 23:08 local time, Sept. 10) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Streaming starts at 01:48 GMT (03:48 CEST) on the European Space Agency website. Or watch at Arianespace’s website (with commentary in French or English), starting 15 minutes before liftoff. You can also follow the launch live on your iPhone or iPad using the free Arianespace.tv app.

The first three stages of the Soyuz rocket take the Galileo satellites and their Fregat upper stage into low orbit. Then the reignitable Fregat, as much a spacecraft as a rocket stage, will take over the task of hauling the satellites higher through a pair of burns.

The satellites will be released in opposite directions by their dispenser once they reach their set 22 522 km-altitude orbit 3 h 47 min 57 sec after launch.

The webstream will cover the launch and orbital insertion in two parts, the first starting at 01:48 GMT (03:48 CEST) and ending at 02:40 GMT (04:40 CEST). The second part will begin at 05:43 GMT (07:43 CEST) and end at 06:50 GMT (08:50 CEST).


Read Richard Langley’s update on the Galileo constellation.


Two more satellites are scheduled for launch by end of this year. One is under test at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, while the other has already completed its checks and is awaiting shipping to Kourou in the second half of October.

In addition, the first satellite of the following batch (Galileo-13) is undergoing its thermal-vacuum test at ESTEC, while the second (Galileo-14) arrived on Monday.


From ESA: Anatomy of a Galileo launch in pictures.


Hoisting VS12 launcher integration and composite, on Sept. 7. (Photo: CNES)

Hoisting VS12 launcher integration and composite, on Sept. 7. (Photo: CNES)

Launch Details from Arianespace

Orbit: circular medium Earth orbit (MEO)
Altitude: 23,522 km
Inclination: 57.4 degrees

Liftoff is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, at:

11:08:10 p.m., local time in French Guiana
10:08:10 p.m., in Washington, D.C.

and on Friday, Sept. 11 at:

02:08:10 UTC
4:08:10 am, in Paris
6:08:10 am, in Moscow

The mission (from liftoff to satellite release) will last approximately 3 hours and 48 minutes.

The launcher will be carrying a total payload of 1,601 kg, including 1,431 kg for the two Galileo satellites.

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) took place on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in French Guiana, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.