A Soyuz rocket has lifted off on its maiden flight from Europe's space base in South America, carrying the first two satellites in the Galileo geopositioning system. The launch -- the first by the veteran rocket beyond Russia's historic bases at Plesetsk and Baikonur -- is part of a commercial deal struck in 2003 to extend the range of Arianespace, which markets services from the European Space Agency (ESA) base in Kourou.