Galileo FOC-15, FOC-16, FOC-17, FOC-18
Ariane 5 ES
Arianespace
Mission
Galileo FOC-15, FOC-16, FOC-17, FOC-18
- Type: Communications
- Orbit: Medium Earth Orbit
The Galileo constellation is ESA’s satellite navigation system and is expected to be completed by 2020. Galileo will provide Europe with an alternative to the American GPS and Russian GLONASS constellations, but will be interoperable with both systems.
Location
Ariane Launch Area 3
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Ariane Launch Area 3 has witnessed the launch of 118 rockets, including 118 orbital launch attempts, while Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, has been the site for 320 rocket launches.
Rocket
ArianeGroup Ariane 5 ES
The Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) has an estimated LEO launch capacity of 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). It includes all the performance improvements of Ariane 5 ECA core and boosters but replaces the ESC-A second stage with the restartable EPS used on Ariane 5 GS variants. It was used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a 260 km circular low Earth orbit inclined at 51.6° and has been used 3 times to launch 4 Galileo navigation satellites at a time directly into their operational orbit. The Ariane 5 ES flew 8 times from 2008 to 2018 with no failures.
Agency
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world’s first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.
