SpaceX will orbit secret European Galileo satellites due to unprepared Ariane 6 rockets and sanctions against Russia

SpaceX will send secret Galileo satellites into orbit. The company has signed an agreement with the European Space Agency.

Here's What We Know

The European Space Agency stopped cooperating with Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the commissioning of the Ariane 6 rocket is constantly postponed. In this regard, Europe has only one candidate left - the American company SpaceX.

If everything goes according to plan, SpaceX will send four Galileo navigation satellites into space in 2024. The company will need two launches to do this. But first, the agreement must be approved by European Union member states and the European Commission.

Galileo are very important satellites for the EU. They form the basis of the navigation system and ensure independence from the American GPS system and other analogues. In addition, the spacecrafts are used to transmit data through encrypted channels, which are used by EU officials.

If the agreement is approved, Galileo satellites will be launched not from the territory of the European Union for the first time in 15 years. A spaceport in French Guiana is now used for launches.

Source: WSJ