{"id":10024,"date":"2024-09-03T17:40:39","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T09:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/esa-completes-swan-song-of-its-vega-rocket-with-sentinel-2c-launch\/"},"modified":"2024-09-03T17:40:39","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T09:40:39","slug":"esa-completes-swan-song-of-its-vega-rocket-with-sentinel-2c-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/esa-completes-swan-song-of-its-vega-rocket-with-sentinel-2c-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"ESA completes swan song of its Vega rocket with Sentinel-2C launch"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_67234\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67234\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-67234\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_tower.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_tower.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_tower-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_tower-678x452.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_tower-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67234\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sentinel-2 in the Vega launch tower. Image: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE\/Optique vid\u00e9o du CSG\u2013T. Leduc<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Update 10:52 p.m. EDT: Arianespace confirmed successful deployment of the Sentinel-2C spacecraft.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>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 sun-synchronous orbit.<\/p>\n<p>Liftoff of the 22nd and final Vega rocket happened Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 10:50 p.m. GFT (9:50 p.m. EDT, 0150 UTC) from Europe\u2019s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. During the final hours before the mission was set to launch, Arianespace posted to social media that the mission was scrubbed for its first launch attempt on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDue to electrical issues on the ground links #VV24 launch chronology was interrupted,\u201d Arianespace wrote on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cChecks are being conducted to confirm a new launch attempt tomorrow, Sept. 4, at 10:50 p.m. local time in Kourou. The launcher and its passenger, Sentinel-2C, are in stable and safe conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mission was initially cleared to proceed through a launch readiness review that wrapped up on Sept. 2.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BZzcOxxeMyA\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite was deployed from the launcher about 57 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff. Officials expect to acquire signal from the spacecraft within 12 minutes of separation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are really delighted to start the Vega year with the European Union\u2019s flagship program, Copernicus, enhancing life on Earth,\u201d said St\u00e9phane Isra\u00ebl, the CEO of Arianespace, the company which manages the Vega rocket. \u201cThis mission really highlights Arianespace\u2019s commitment to space for better life on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Isra\u00ebl said the launch campaign, which formally began on July 12, has been \u201crunning perfectly well\u201d. He said that the spacecraft began fueling on Aug. 16 and it was integrated with the upper stage on Aug. 27.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1831525193996526038&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2024%2F09%2F03%2Fesa-prepares-to-launch-swan-song-mission-for-its-vega-rocket%2F&amp;sessionId=a00de4cf31837a8aec0102ef3e97bfbd43de415c&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1831525193996526038\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i178246127573781777=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Fly free #Sentinel2 C!<br \/>\nSeparation confirmed at 03:48 BST\/04:48 CEST, the fourth stage of the last-ever Vega rocket sent Earth-observer Sentinel-2C on its way. pic.twitter.com\/dH5WhlYvJ0<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ESA Space Transport (@ESA_transport) September 5, 2024<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h4>Beginning of the end<\/h4>\n<p>The Vega rocket began its service back in 2012 and launched 21 times since then. The goal was to have a smooth, overlapping transition from Vega to the Vega-C rocket, but an upper-stage issue during the second flight of Vega-C put a wrench in that plan.<\/p>\n<p>On Dec. 20, 2022, about 151 seconds into flight, that rocket encountered \u201ca progressive decrease in the chamber pressure\u201d on the second stage of the rocket (Zeifro40).\u201d An Independent Enquiry Commission (IEC) investigation and subsequent testing followed.<\/p>\n<p>Back in October 2023, a spokesperson for Arianespace told Spaceflight Now that the final Vega launch was aiming for the first quarter of 2024, following a return to flight mission of Vega-C by the end of 2023. However, those plans also shifted as work continued to better understand the anomaly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can reassure you there\u2019s no commonality between that failure and Vega. Even the Zeifro40 engine is not used on that vehicle,\u201d said Toni Tolker-Neilsen, ESA\u2019s Director of Space Transportation, during a prelaunch news conference. \u201cWe have completely redesigned the Zeifro40 nozzle to make it much more robust and we have made a very successful test of this motor with the new nozzle design.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That test happened in July and a second test is on tap for October. Tolker-Neilsen said there is \u201cvery good confidence\u201d in the results of the July test and he said they believe the testing next month will also go smoothly, setting up a return to flight in November.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis planning has been stable [for] many, many months. More than a year, we have had a very stable situation and we have been following a plan that was set out in the middle of last year, actually, and I\u2019m very confident that we\u2019ll be able to make it,\u201d Tolker-Neilsen said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be a launch of Sentinel-1C, which is waiting for its launch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1830929584562339965&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2024%2F09%2F03%2Fesa-prepares-to-launch-swan-song-mission-for-its-vega-rocket%2F&amp;sessionId=a00de4cf31837a8aec0102ef3e97bfbd43de415c&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1830929584562339965\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i178246127573781777=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83c\udfa5\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f3a5.svg\"> Vega joined the @ESA_transport family of launch vehicles at Europe\u2019s Spaceport in French Guiana in 2012. Tonight\u2019s launch will be the last for #Vega, it is being replaced by Vega-C. Let\u2019s have a look at this rocket\u2019s history!<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83d\udd17\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f517.svg\">https:\/\/t.co\/Dl5EU2RdQz pic.twitter.com\/HIhXScdw54<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ESA space history (@ESA_History) September 3, 2024<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Once the transition happens, Arianespace will be responsible for all the launches up to VV29, which represents a total of six missions, including the VV24 flight of Vega. After that point, Avio becomes the \u201csole launch provider and operator of Vega,\u201d according to Isra\u00ebl.<\/p>\n<p>He said they have missions booked through VV39 with a range of customers, starting with the European Commission. Starting this month, the ESA member states decided that Avio would start commercializing Vega-C and looking for non-governmental customers in addition to those from the various governmental bodies.<\/p>\n<p>Tolker-Neilsen said there are four Vega-C launches planned in 2025 and five in 2026. Isra\u00ebl affirmed that the customers are there to fill this manifest, adding that \u201cit will be the responsibility of Avio, for sure, five Vega-C per year from 2026 onwards.\u201d He said they would like to see an annual cadence of nine to 11 Ariane 6 launches alongside five Vega-C missions.<\/p>\n<h4>Quarter century of Copernicus<\/h4>\n<p>The spacecraft onboard the Vega rocket set to launch Tuesday night is part of a program that is marking 26 years this year. There are seven, first-generation satellites that are in operation and there are 13 more satellites planned.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B operate in the same orbit, but 180 degrees apart. At an altitude of 786 km (488.4 mi.), they will image all of the Earth\u2019s coastal and land waterways ever five days using 13 spectral bands.<\/p>\n<p>The first two Sentinel-2 satellites are orbiting at an inclination of 98.62 degrees.<\/p>\n<p>Once it\u2019s commissioned, Sentinel-2C, the third in the Sentinel-2 series, will replace Sentinel-2A, which launched on June 23, 2015. Similarly, once Sentinel-2D launches, it will replace Sentinel-2B, which launched on March 7, 2017.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are already two satellites flying, but actually they are aging. It\u2019s very important to launch a new satellite before the others are aging too much,\u201d said Mauro Facchini, the European Commission\u2019s Head of Unit for Earth Observation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67235\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67235\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-67235\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_fueling.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_fueling.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_fueling-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_fueling-678x461.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240903_VV24_fueling-768x522.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67235\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Sentinel-2C spacecraft is fueled with 133 kg of hydrazine and then pressurized the tank with helium up to 21 bars. The process was carried out over shifts by the propulsion team from AGG Lampoldshausen on Aug. 16, 2024. Image: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE\/Optique vid\u00e9o du CSG\u2013S. Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ESA said the two-satellite constellation is similar in mission goals to NASA\u2019s Landsat program and the French Satellite pour l\u2019Observation de la Terre (SPOT) satellite series, which have been in operation since 1972 and 1986 respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The Sentinel-2 satellites have a lifespan of about 7.25 years, which includes a three-month, in-orbit commissioning phase. The batteries have a 12-year operational lifespan, to account for end of life, deorbiting maneuvers.<\/p>\n<p>They feature a MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI), which ESA said uses a so-called \u201cpush-broom concept.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA push-broom sensor works by collecting rows of image data across the orbital swath and utilises the forward motion of the spacecraft along the path of the orbit to provide new rows for acquisition,\u201d ESA wrote. \u201cThe average period of observation over land and coastal areas is approximately 17 minutes and the maximum period of observation is 32 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These satellites have been used to help bolster agriculture as wells as monitoring the health of forests and monitoring methane.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sentinel-2 in the Vega launch tower. Image: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE\/Optique vid\u00e9o du CSG\u2013T. 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[498,246,1309,1310,1311,916],"class_list":["post-10024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-arianespace","tag-esa","tag-sentinel-2","tag-sentinel-2c","tag-vega","tag-vega-c"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10024"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10024\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}