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Four more Galileo satellites to be launched in 2015: EU

Xinhua, March 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Four more satellites will be launched by the end of this year for Galileo, the European Union's indigenous satellite navigation program, the EU has said, following the successful launch of two satellites late Friday night.

The next launch of Galileo satellites is scheduled for September 2015, according to European Commission statements. The Commission aims to ensure the provision of initial Galileo services by 2016 and full services by 2020.

The EU's Galileo satellite navigation system now has eight satellites in orbit following the launch of the latest pair on Friday night.

Friday's launch represented the resumption of Galileo satellite flights after two satellites launched in August 2014 turned out to be delivered to a wrong orbit.

Once completed by the end of year 2020, the Galileo system will consist of 30 satellites and the necessary ground infrastructure to control the satellites and enable the provision of positioning, navigation and timing services.

The Galileo system is fully financed from the EU budget and from 2014 until 2020, and the EU will spend 7 billion euros (7.62 billion U.S. dollars) on satellite navigation, according to the Commission.

In 2013, the annual global market for navigation satellite products and services was valued at 175 billion euros. It is expected to grow over the next years to an estimated 237 billion euros in 2020. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollars) Endit