Europe is bringing satellite navigation closer to Earth
On 28 March, the ESA launched the Celeste mission, a pioneering project designed to test how low Earth orbit can transform our global positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities.
The Celeste LEO-PNT mission began its journey at 10:14 CET, departing from Māhia, New Zealand, via a Rocket Lab Electron rocket. As Europe's inaugural initiative to integrate satellite navigation into low Earth orbit, the mission serves as a critical testing ground for new frequency bands and next-generation technologies.
By operating in a lower orbit, Celeste aims to provide a complementary layer to the existing Galileo system, which resides in medium Earth orbit. This new orbital layer is intended to bolster the resilience and performance of European positioning services while enabling the development of entirely new navigation services.
Source: Launch of ESA’s Celeste mission 1
