Posted: Sun, Dec 20, 2015, 1:19 PM ET (1819 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket placed two Galileo navigation satellites into orbit Thursday. The Soyuz launched from Kourou, French Guiana, at 6:51 am EST (1151 GMT) on a mission to deploy the Galileo Full Operational Capability 11 and 12 satellites. The Fregat upper stage deployed the two satellites into their planned orbit nearly four hours later. The satellites will allow the Galileo system to provide some initial services as the rest of the 30-satellite constellation is deployed in the next several years. The launch is the twelfth and final mission for Arianespace this year.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  ESA press release