Lift off for the first satellite of the European Union's Galileo navigation system took place on Wednesday 28th December 2005. A Soyuz rocket launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, at 1119 (0519GMT) delivered the 600Kg satellite safely into Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) some 23,000 kilometres above the earth. This is the first of two Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE) satellites and was built in less than 3 years by the small Guildford based company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). GIOVE-A began broadcasting its first signals from space to earth on Thursday 12th January. These signals, which could have been detected by a receiver anywhere on earth within visibility of the satellite, were picked up at ground stations in the UK. GIOVE-B will be launched in a few months. (Author/publisher).
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