Second Galileo test satellite launched successfully

Giove-B, the second test satellite for the European satellite navigation system Galileo, was launched at 4am on Monday aboard a Russian rocket departing from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that the two solar panels powering the satellite had deployed without incident and were fully operational by 04:28 BST.

Giove-B will start In-Orbit Validation (IOV) of the signal configuration and carry out tests of high precision signal ranging. On board the satellite is an extremely accurate atomic clock based on a maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). In addition to the hydrogen maser clock, the satellite is carrying two rubidium atomic clocks.

Giove-B will also measure and determine the optimum orbit for future Galileo satellites, 30 of which are due to be launched by 2013 to provide global positioning and navigation services. The cost of the controversial Galileo project, which will compete directly with the US Global Positioning System, has been estimated at €3.4bn. A combination of both systems, which would provide even more accurate positioning, remains a possibility.

(trk)