Europe's first Galileo satellites lift off

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Europe's first satellite-navigation spacecraft are heading into orbit.

The two Galileo satellites were launched by a Russian Soyuz rocket from its new base in French Guiana at 07:30 local time (10:30 GMT; 11:30 BST).

The European Commission (EC) is investing billions of euros in its own version of the American GPS system.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15372540

[UnrepentantLiberal]

1. Cool. I love science.

[Celefin]

2. The US was granted the right to jam Galileo signals

Already a few years back in exchange for goodwill.

Since then I never really got the point of having an 'independent' system
when somebody else has the right to jam the signals in 'case of an emergency
or threat to national security'.

At least it keeps the space industry busy, which is not a bad thing.

[Posteritatis]

3. At least they backed away from the plans to shoot down the satellites.. (nt)

[achko]

4. RE: Europe's first Galileo satellites lift off

The satellite "Natalia", which is part of the European global positioning system "Galileo", is named after 9-year Bulgarian child :)

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/242230/europes_satellite_gps_to_blast_off_after_technical_hitch.html map