Galileo Gets a Boost: Two New Satellites Successfully Launched

On 17 December 2025 at 06:01 CET (02:01 local time), two new Galileo satellites, designated SAT-33 and SAT-34, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in French aboard an Ariane 6 rocket. The satellites add capacity to the Galileo constellation and contribute to the system's long-term reliability.

Galileo is the world's most accurate satellite navigation system and is used by an estimated 4.5 billion people worldwide. The European system provides precise positioning and timing services, offering accuracy of around one metre, and up to 20 centimetres through its High Accuracy Service. These services support a wide range of applications, including emergency response, navigation for cars, ships, trains and drones, as well as timing for telecommunications and financial transactions.

The two satellites will now undergo several months of in-orbit testing and calibration before entering operational service. Galileo is funded by the European Union and managed by the European Commission. Its services are operated by the EU Agency for the Space Programme, with technical development supported by the European Space Agency and European industry partners.

A dedicated launch success event was held in Brussels hosted by Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius. The event brought together members of the Galileo user community, policymakers and space industry experts. Speakers reflected on key milestones, including the introduction of the new Galileo OSNMA feature, upcoming launches and the continued evolution of the system.

Following this launch, only four first-generation Galileo satellites remain to be deployed before the transition to Galileo Second Generation (G2G) begins. The G2G satellites will integrate with the existing Galileo constellation and will incorporate new technologies and capabilities, including fully digital navigation payloads, electric propulsion, improved navigation antennas, inter-satellite links, and additional as well as experimental atomic clocks to be validated in orbit. Together, these developments will further strengthen Galileo's services and support the growing needs of users across all sectors.