Celeste is ready to fly!

In 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) selected GMV to lead the development of one of the two parallel end-to-end Celeste In-Orbit Demonstrators for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO-PNT) system. The constellation’s first satellite, Celeste IOD-1, has been jointly developed by GMV and Alén Space. This 12U CubeSat will pave the way for the start of the Celeste IOD mission. Celeste IOD-1 will fly into space aboard a Rocket Lab Electron, taking off from New Zealand in early 2026.

Over the past few months, Celeste IOD-1 has undergone full assembly and integration, as well as rigorous environmental and systems testing. This has demonstrated the spacecraft and operations procedures’ readiness to guide the mission through critical phases such as launch and early orbit, and experimentation.

In December 2025, GMV conducted a successful flight readiness key point with ESA. A ESA delegation visited GMV’s facilities, including the clean room where the fully assembled Celeste IOD-1 satellite is located. This gave ESA a close-up, firsthand look at the spacecraft in its final form. The delegation also toured the Celeste Mission Operations Room, the control center from which Celeste IOD-1 will be operated once in orbit. The visit demonstrated the readiness of the spacecraft and the operational infrastructure behind the mission.

During the key point, the navigation performance capabilities of Celeste’s first satellite were also reviewed to verify fulfillment of the Celeste IOD mission’s core objectives. With a fully defined launch plan that includes transportation logistics and integration with Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle, Celeste IOD-1 is now firmly on track for launch in early 2026.

Having successfully passed this key point, Celeste IOD-1 is officially ready to fly. This achievement brings GMV a step closer to orbit and underscores the momentum driving the Celeste programme forward.

The next time we see Celeste IOD-1, it will be on its way into space, marking the beginning of Europe’s LEO-PNT future.