NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

GIOVE-A

Launch Time
Wed Dec 28, 2005 05:19 UTC

Flight ST-15.

Rocket

Soyuz FG/Fregat
Starsem
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 4,550 kN
Payload to LEO: 7,300 kg
Payload to GTO: 1,800 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 43.5 m
Fairing Diameter: 3.0 m
Fairing Height: 8.1 m

Mission Details

GIOVE-A

GIOVE-A (Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element), also known as GSTB-V2/A, is the first of two European Space Agency (ESA) experimental satellites designed to test the highly complex technologies that will be used by the Galileo positioning network. It was built under the prime contractorship of EADS Astrium, with support from Thales Alenia Space.

GIOVE-B has a mass of 500kg and houses two rubidium atomic clocks, which have a stability of 10ns/d. A third clock called PHM is also on board, with a stability of less than 1ns/d. A transmitter in L band will allow to test the localization signal.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 500.0 kg
Medium Earth Orbit

Location

Site 31/6, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

2005

55th orbital launch attempt

Soyuz FG

15th mission
5th mission of 2005
15th successful mission