Photos: Galileo's phase two goes into orbit
Giove-B is launched in deepest Kazakhstan...
The second trial satellite (Giove-B) in the European Galileo satellite programme was launched in Kazakhstan at the weekend. It represents the next phase in the development of the satellite network the EU hopes will become the region's equivalent of GPS.
This is the Soyuz-Fregat rocket, which carried Giove-B into orbit, minutes before its launch on Sunday.
Photo credit: European Space Agency (ESA)
The Giove-B satellite arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 13 March 2007 after being carried by this Antonov cargo plane.
Photo credit: ESA
After its delivery in Kazakhstan, the satellite was prepared for its launch at the Starsem payload preparation facility in Baikonur.
Photo credit: ESA
The Soyuz-Fregat rocket is carried to its launch pad on 22 April 2008. Giove-B is the first of two Galileo in-orbit validation satellites due to be launched.
Photo credit: ESA
The EU flag and Giove logo are clearly visible on the top of the rocket that holds the satellite as it's prepared for launch.
Photo credit: ESA
The rocket containing the Giove-B satellite took off on Sunday, beginning the next phase of the Galileo pilot programme.
Photo credit: ESA
This is what the Giove-B satellite will look like in orbit around the earth.
See pictures from the launch of the first test satellite, Giove-A back in summer 2006.
Picture credit: ESA