PARIS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Europe's latest heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6, successfully placed two Galileo satellites into orbit on Wednesday.
According to Arianespace, the launch marked Ariane 6's first mission for the Galileo program. Liftoff took place at 2:01 a.m. local time (0501 GMT) from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
The mission, designated VA266, was the fifth flight of the Ariane 6 rocket. The two satellites, SAT-33 and SAT-34, separated from the launcher three hours and 55 minutes after liftoff and were deployed into medium Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 22,922 kilometers.
The Galileo program is a flagship initiative of the European Union Space Programme. As Europe's global navigation satellite system, it represents the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the European Union, aiming to ensure strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty by providing precise, reliable, and independent positioning and timing services. ■