Arianespace has launched Europe’s first two Galileo navigation satellites on the Russian-built Soyuz launch vehicle from French Guiana.
The launch had to be delayed after a leaky valve was detected in the rocket’s fuelling system.
Europe’s Galileo network is being developed by the European Space Agency and the European Union to provide global positioning services.
After being fully operational later this decade, Galileo should give Europeans autonomy from the US Government-controlled Global Positioning System.
The two satellites are now being controlled by a joint ESA and CNES French space agency team in Toulouse, France.
The next two Galileo satellites, completing the IOV quartet, are scheduled for launch in summer 2012.
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