Answer: European Space Agency (ESA)
Notes: In March 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the first two satellites, IOD-1 and IOD-2, of its Celeste mission from Rocket Lab, New Zealand. The Celeste mission is an in-orbit demonstration designed to test low Earth orbit (LEO) positioning, navigation, and timing technologies. It aims to complement Europe’s existing Galileo (Medium Earth Orbit) and EGNOS (Geostationary Navigation Overlay) systems. The mission represents a shift towards a multi-layered navigation architecture for Europe. The satellites were launched on March 28, 2026, aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket.
