Overview
- An Ariane 62 lifted off from Kourou on December 17 and, after two Vinci upper-stage burns, deployed Galileo SAT 33 and SAT 34 into medium Earth orbit about 3 hours 55 minutes after launch.
- The European Space Agency confirmed acquisition of signal and solar array deployment, with both satellites beginning early operations and in‑orbit testing at roughly 23,222 kilometers altitude.
- This was the fifth Ariane 6 mission overall and the first to carry Galileo payloads, underscoring the launcher’s expanding role for European institutional missions.
- Built by OHB, the two spacecraft bolster Galileo’s availability and resilience for billions of users worldwide, with ESA officials highlighting strengthened European autonomy in space access.
- ESA says two additional launches carrying first‑generation Galileo satellites are planned, while the next Ariane 6 flight is expected to debut the four‑booster A64 in early 2026 with 32 Amazon Leo satellites.