In a significant development for the global space industry, SpaceX has signed a landmark deal with the European Union to launch up to four Galileo navigation satellites over two launches in 2024. This agreement marks the first time that SpaceX will launch EU satellites carrying classified equipment and the first time in 15 years that Galileo spacecraft will launch from a non-European territory.
The Galileo Network
The Galileo network, Europe’s equivalent of the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS), China’s Beidou or Russia’s GLONASS, allows users to know exactly where they are and helps them figure out where they’re going. The Galileo satellites orbit Earth at an altitude of 14,429 miles (23,222 kilometers).