Due to delays in EU Ariana rockets, ESA will launch Galileo navigation satellites with the help of SpaceX
CTOnews.com SpaceX has reached an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to use its Falcon 9 rocket to launch four Galileo navigation satellites into orbit for ESA.
It will be the first time Elon Musk's company has launched an EU satellite containing classified equipment.
ESA had planned to launch the satellites using the EU's autonomous Ariane 6 launch vehicle, but the first launch was not expected until 2024 due to delays.
According to ESA navigation director Javier Benedicto, the agreement still needs final approval from the European Commission and member states.
Under the terms of the agreement, SpaceX will launch the satellites for ESA from U.S. territory, marking the first time Galileo equipment has been shipped outside European territory.
CTOnews.com query found that all Galileo satellites were launched from the Kourou Space Centre in Guyane française, with the exception of an earlier test version launched from Kazakhstan, while the European Union initially used Russian Soyuz rockets and later switched to Ariane 5 rockets (now retired).
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