The Galileo In Orbit Validation Elements-A (GIOVE-A) test satellite began transmitting signals Jan. 12, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Alcatel Alenia Space announced.

GIOVE-A, launched in December, was built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and is intended to test secure use of the frequencies allocated by the International Telecommunications Union for the Galileo system, demonstrate critical technologies for the navigation payloads of future operational Galileo satellites.

GIOVE-A is the first spacecraft of the Galileo In-Orbit Validation phase. The second demonstration satellite, GIOVE-B, is scheduled to be launched in April aboard a Soyuz rocket.

Separately, South Korea signed an agreement with European Union to participate in the Galileo program, joining China, Israel, Ukraine, India and Morocco as non-European members of the program.

Under the agreement, South Korea will cooperate in scientific research and training, industrial cooperation and trade and market development.