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GSAT0101 (GALILEO-PFM)
European Navigation Satellite (Galileo, Founding Satellite) · ESA / European Commission
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GSAT0101 (Galileo-PFM) is the satellite that started Europe's satellite navigation independence — the Proto-Flight Model, first of the entire Galileo constellation, launched October 2011. Europe built Galileo for one core reason: during the 1999 Kosovo conflict, European commanders realized their military operations depended entirely on GPS, a system the United States could theoretically restrict or degrade during a crisis without European consent. Galileo exists so Europe never has to make that bet on another nation's goodwill again — a genuinely sovereignty-driven program from its very first satellite.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Medium Earth Orbita high vantage point, ideal for navigation
- Altitude
- 14,432–14,435 mi (23,227–23,231 km)
- Inclination
- 57.0°
- One orbit
- 14.1 hours1.7 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 37846
- Int’l designator
- 2011-060A
- Launched
- 2011
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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