Quadruple launch as European satnav system nears completion
by Guardian Staff from on (#214XS)
ESA's big push will bring number of Galileo satellites in orbit to 18
Next week the European Space Agency begins its final push to establish an independent global satellite navigation system. Four new satellites are scheduled for launch atop a specially converted European Ariane 5 rocket at 13:06 GMT on 17 November.
The launch will take place from Europe's spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana. Until now, the satellites have been launched two at a time using Russian Soyuz rockets, again launched from Kourou.