In Orbit Validation Galileo launch (2011)

The Soyuz launcher on the launch pad at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying two Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites. Galileo’s IOV phase, spanning from 2011 to 2014, marked the operational debut of Europe’s independent satellite navigation system. With the successful launch and testing of the first four satellites, IOV demonstrated the performance of both space and ground infrastructure, validating the system’s design, allowing Galileo’s first positioning fix and paving the way for the Initial Services declaration in December 2016.