Galileo, the European satellite navigation system, today took an important step closer to offering the first services.

For the first time ever, a position fix could be obtained based on the signals emitted from the four satellites already deployed.

The obtained accuracy in the 10 meters range, considering the only partly deployed infrastructure, fulfills the expectations.

The position fix was obtained by ESA's navigation laboratory in the Netherlands by using the four satellites, launched in October 2011 and 2012, and the Galileo programme's ground infrastructure, the control centres in Italy and Germany and the global network of ground stations.

• Read the communiqué from ESA (© ESA) 

- Galileo is the name of the European Satellite Navigation programme.
- ESA is the acronym of the European Space Agency