Thales Completes Galileo Platform Integration Testing

[Satellite TODAY 12-04-09] Thales Alenia Space has completed platform integration testing on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Galileo satellites, Thales Alenia Space announced Dec. 3.
    The Galileo platform is now in functional testing with delivery of the engineering model payload from Astrium U.K. expected in December.
    The proto-flight and three flight model satellites also were integrated and tested at Thales Alenia Space’s facilities in Rome. They will be carried into orbit in pairs by Arianespace on a Soyuz ST-B / Fregat rocket. The first two Galileo launches are scheduled for late 2010 and early 2011.

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