The European Space Agency said Dec. 16 that a ground station network anomaly will delay the launch of the Galileo In Orbit Validation Elements-A (GIOVE-A) test satellite scheduled for Dec. 26 by at least two days.

GIOVE-A, designed by Surry Satellite Technology Ltd., will demonstrate the technical aspects of Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system and secure operational frequencies for the system.

The spacecraft will be launched aboard a Soyuz launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.