A Soyuz rocket boosted GALILEO FM3 and FM4, two validation platforms for Europe's Galileo navigation network, from French Guiana into orbit Friday, 2012 Oct 12, setting the stage for further launches every six months over the next few years to build a constellation of satellites beaming global positioning services to airplanes, automobiles and millions of users.
The satellites were released around 2200 GMT (6 p.m. EDT), and controllers in Toulouse, France, acquired radio signals from the spacecraft moments later. The satellites were supposed to deploy solar panels soon after separation. After adjusting their positions in orbit, the satellites joined two other Galileo spacecraft launched in October 2011. The quartet began a comprehensive test campaign to prove the Galileo "mini-constellation" can provide navigation services.
Alternate Names
38857 = 2012-055A = Galileo IOV-3 = David
38857 = 2012-055A = Galileo IOV-4 = Tif
Facts in Brief
Launch Date: 2012-10-12
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-2.1b/Fregat
Launch Site: Kourou, International
Mass: 640.0 kg