EU’s Galileo L14 Launched by Arianespace
Pair of Navigation Satellites Placed in Medium Earth Orbit
A pair of Galileo navigation satellites were launched Wednesday by Arianespace from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Galileo L14 was the 14th launch in the Galileo program. The satellites designated SAT 33 and SAT 34 were placed into a medium Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 14,200 miles. Their separation occurred 3 hours and 55 minutes after lift-off.
“This success strengthens the performance and resilience of Europe’s own navigation system, delivering concrete benefits to billions of users.”
David Cavaillolès, Arianespace
The mission, called VA266, was the fifth flight of Ariane 6, Europe’s heavy-lift launcher. It was performed with an Ariane 6 with two boosters, the Ariane 62, which has been successful since its inaugural flight in 2024.
“As the first launch of Ariane 6 for the Galileo program, the launcher, which perfectly placed the Galileo SAT 33 and SAT 34 satellites into orbit, once again demonstrates its reliability and precision,” said David Cavaillolès, CEO of Arianespace. “This success strengthens the performance and resilience of Europe’s own navigation system, delivering concrete benefits to billions of users worldwide. Our teams have once again demonstrated operational excellence, and we thank ESA, the European Commission and the EUSPA for their renewed trust.”
Ariane 6 launched with a new payload configuration specifically designed for a Galileo-type mission. For the needs of this mission, the upper part of the launcher has been fully adapted by ArianeGroup. It consists of a short fairing, a light launch vehicle adaptor (LVA) used for the first time on an Ariane 6 flight, as well as a dispenser specific to the Galileo missions allowing a lateral attachment of the two satellites.
“High precision, reliability, versatility, modularity: this is Ariane 6 signature. With five successful flights in less than 18 months, Ariane 6 is performing the fastest entry into service for a heavy launcher,” said Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup. “ArianeGroup teams are committed to deliver on the next steps of the production ramp-up in 2026, hand in hand with all our industrial partners across Europe.”
Galileo is a flagship component of the EU Space Program. Owned by the European Union, it is under the management of the European Commission. It delivers best-in-class performance for real-time positioning accuracy worldwide, down to the meter range. It also offers innovative capabilities for professional users, such as authentication of signals and high-accuracy services, along with additional dedicated governmental services. Since its inception, ESA has been leading the design, development and qualification of the space and ground systems, as well as procuring launches. The EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) acts as the service provider, overseeing the market and application needs and closing the loop with users.