[8/31/07 – Satellite News Today] Thales Alenia Space is ready to deliver the Giove-B satellite to the European Space Agency (ESA), the company announced Aug. 30.

The production team, led by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space and including Telespazio, EADS Astrium and ESA, has now completed all preliminary tests, including the thermal-vacuum test that duplicates the satellite’s in-orbit environment. Thales will ship Giove-B, the second test satellite in the Galileo navigation constellation, from its plant in Rome to the ESA-ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, Sept. 3.

The satellite will undergo further tests in the Netherlands before being sent to Baikonur Cosmodrome to start launch preparations. The satellite is scheduled to be launched before the end of the year.