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SpaceX's Falcon 9 Launches European Galileo Satellites for First Time on US Rocket

May 2, 2024, 02:33 PM

SpaceX has successfully launched two European Galileo navigation satellites into orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A. The launch, which took place at 8:34pm EDT, marked the first time European satellites have been launched on a US rocket, a shift necessitated by geopolitical changes and delays in European rocket development. The satellites will join 23 operational counterparts to enhance the Galileo navigation system, which provides critical location and timing services globally, independent of US GPS and Russian GLONASS systems. Notably, the mission was treated with unusual secrecy, with SpaceX ending its live coverage shortly after payload fairing separation. Additionally, the Falcon 9's first stage booster, on its record-tying 20th flight, was not recovered as all propellants were needed to reach the intended orbit, marking the first such instance since November 2022. This mission, designated as the European Commission's Galileo L12, was the rocket's 20th mission.