European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

New Capabilities

Operates Galileo services and brings new satellites into service post-launch

VA266 launched successfully. After acquiring signal, ESA declared the mission successful: Galileo SAT 33 and SAT 34 are healthy, with solar arrays deployed. That shifts the story from launch drama to operations: early-orbit checks and in-orbit testing, then a slow drift toward Galileo's 23,222 km operational regime.

Updated May 15