Tag: Vega C
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Europe’s future in space: Vega cadence to increase, HyImpulse’s hybrid rocket
European companies in the space sector have been developing novel technology to find their unique place in the market, allowing them to thrive and innovate while stepping towards developing their orbital vehicles. Some are supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), such as HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, and Orbex, while other independent private companies, such as…
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Launch Roundup: Sentinel 1C and PROBA 3 among ten planned launches
This week is busy in spaceflight, with 10 orbital launches planned throughout the week. China has, as expected, continued its launch cadence from last week with three more launches this week. SpaceX planned to launch five Falcon 9 missions in five days with the launches of four Starlink missions and one customer payload but has…
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Vega-C return to flight launch slips a day to allow for ‘further precautionary checks’
Copernicus Sentinel-1C standing proud on its payload adapter between the two fairing halves that will protect the spacecraft on the launch pad and on its ascent towards space. Sentinel-1C, the third satellite in the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, is set to launch in December 2024 on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Image:…
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ESA completes swan song of its Vega rocket with Sentinel-2C launch
Sentinel-2 in the Vega launch tower. Image: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–T. Leduc Update 10:52 p.m. EDT: Arianespace confirmed successful deployment of the Sentinel-2C spacecraft. The European Space Agency (ESA) completed its transition to its Vega-C rocket with the final launch of its first-generation Vega rocket. The mission, dubbed VV24, carried an Earth-imaging satellite to a…
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ESA sets launch date for Ariane 6 for summer of 2024
The long-awaited maiden flight of Ariane 6 is scheduled to take place between June 15 and July 31, 2024, European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Josef Aschbacher announced at a press conference on Thursday. This followed a successful hot-fire test of the Vulcain 2.1 core stage engine of the new European launcher on its launch…
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Rideshare mission on deck for penultimate Vega rocket as Vega-C successor remains sidelined
Update 10 p.m. EDT (0200 UTC) Sunday: Vega lifted off at 9:36 p.m. EDT (0138 UTC) on Sunday after a two-day delay. The dozen spacecraft for the penultimate flight of an Arianespace Vega rocket prior encapsulation in the payload fairing. Image: Airbus Space A pair of Earth observation satellites along with ten auxiliary payloads will…
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ESA’s Space Rider likely to launch third quarter of 2025, program manager says
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Rider program has officially begun its validation and testing phase, as it prepares for a maiden flight in the third quarter of 2025. Space Rider is Europe’s reusable uncrewed robotic laboratory that will provide an “end-to-end integrated space transportation system” for commercial customers. After launching into space, Space Rider…
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Arianespace suffers failure on first operational Vega-C mission
Arianespace has suffered a failure during Vega-Consolidation’s (Vega-C) first operational launch, which was set to carry the Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 Earth-observation satellites to a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Vega-C lifted off from the Ensemble de Lancement Vega (ELV) pad at the Guiana Space Centre on Dec. 20 at 10:47 PM local time (01:47 UTC…
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Ariane 6 debut slips to end of 2023, teams prep for Combined Test
The debut of Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher, Ariane 6, has slipped once again, this time to a no-earlier-than target of the “last quarter of 2023.” News of the delay came from ESA, CNES, ArianeGroup, and Arianespace officials during an Oct. 19 media briefing, though officials declined to define what caused the most recent multi-month delay…
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ESA launches upgraded Vega-C rocket on first mission
Vega-C, the newest iteration of the European Vega rocket, has launched on its debut flight, VV21. Vega-C boasts a higher payload capacity and lower cost per kilogram of payload than the original Vega rocket. As part of its first mission, the vehicle carried seven payloads from several European nations to a targetted 6,000 km medium…