http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13871198
"Sufficient savings have been found in Europe's Galileo sat-nav
project for at least six additional spacecraft to be bought for the
system before 2014.
The European Commission says it has about 500m euros (£440m) "in its
pocket" which it will use to make the extra purchase.
It would take Europe's version of GPS from 18 operational satellites
in the next few years to 24.
.. . . EU member states had already committed 3.4bn euros to get 18
satellites into orbit by the end of 2014, and were told recently they
might have to find a further 1.9bn to get a completed "constellation"
of 30 satellites later in the decade.
.. . . The first two Galileo spacecraft are due to go into orbit in
October, launched on a Russian Soyuz rocket from French Guiana. They
will be followed by a further pair in 2012.
Another 14 are under construction, with the last satellite in this
series due to roll off the production line in mid-2014. That would
make 18 in total in orbit by 2015.
.. . . Six additional satellites, making a total of 24, would take
Galileo very close to full capability.
.. . . the 24 satellites could be in orbit by 2015/16."
Related story:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...oised-for.html
"Europe is almost certain to push the "go" button by the end of the
year for Astrium Space Transport to develop an ES version of its
Ariane 5 heavylift rocket, which would allow one launch to orbit four
Galileo navigation satellites.
.. . . The ability to launch four spacecraft with one launcher
featuring restart capability to achieve successive orbits would reduce
the number of launches needed, and thus the cost, to orbit a full
constellation of 30 satellites."