17 December 2025 year Fr. 05:01 UTC from the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana using a launch vehicle «Ariane 62» two navigation satellites were launched «Galileo FOC FM33-FM34».
«Galileo» – Europe's global navigation satellite system, which provides high-precision global positioning service under civilian control. Project cost 10 billion dollars named after the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. The European system is designed to solve navigation tasks for any moving objects with an accuracy of less than one meter. As an additional feature, «Galileo» provides global search and rescue services. Satellites are capable of transmitting signals from users to regional rescue coordination centers.
30 KA 6 of which are spare, is the number of satellites, grouping within the project, which they plan to finish to the end 2026 year. A fully deployed system «Galileo» located in three planes at a height of approx 23 000 km above the ground.
A large number of satellites of the group, as well as the presence of spare satellites in orbit guarantees, that the loss of one satellite will not cause a noticeable impact on the system. Two ground control centers have been built on the territory of Europe to control the satellites and coordinate the system's actions (NCK): one is in Munich (Germany), the second - in Fuchino (Italy). Except for the countries of the European Union, reached agreements on participation in the project with the states — China, Israel, South Korea and Ukraine.
The weight of each satellite is approx 700 kilograms, dimensions with deployed solar panels - 2,74 NS 14,5 NS 1,59 meters. Estimated service life of each of the satellites - 12 years.
"Ariane 6" is a new European single-use launch vehicle, developed by the company ArianeGroup on the order of the European Space Agency (THIS). She replaced Ariane 5 and is part of the Ariane family of launch vehicles. Stated, that the cost of launching a new rocket compared to Ariane 5 was halved and increased the opportunity for the number of launches per year from six to seven to eleven.
«Ariane 6» consists of two stages, both are equipped with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engines. An improved version of the Vulcain engine is installed on the first stage, which was already used on Ariane 5, and on the second — the Vinci engine of a new design. Most of the initial thrust at takeoff is provided by solid fuel boosters, installed on the first stage, which are larger versions of the P80, used on the Vega rocket.
The second number after "6" corresponds to the number of side boosters. In this case, two are used.
At the moment of the group is 31 KA, of which 26 Spacecraft are used for their intended purpose. This launch will expand the grouping of the "Galileo" spacecraft by another 2 KA.
According to the CCS