Arianespace has organized its manifest to launch these two satellites during the second half of August. A second launch will orbit two more satellites by the end of the year. The rest of the constellation will be launched in 2015 and the following years.

Following the arrival of these satellites, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said, “Arianespace would like to thank both the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) for entrusting it with the deployment of this emblematic mission, which marks a major step forward in Europe’s increasing autonomy in space, for the greater benefit of all citizens. Today marks a real milestone for the European space industry. Our aim is to launch the first four Galileo operational satellites by the end of the years, enabling the constellation to begin offering services from early 2015.”