Arianespace Completes Final Vega Launch with Successful Deployment of Sentinel-2C Satellite

Arianespace Completes Final Vega Launch with Successful Deployment of Sentinel-2C Satellite

(IN BRIEF) Arianespace successfully launched the Sentinel-2C satellite on September 4, 2024, marking the final flight of the Vega rocket. The Sentinel-2C, part of the European Copernicus Earth observation program, was deployed into a Sun-synchronous orbit to provide crucial environmental data. This launch, the 22nd and last for the Vega rocket, sets the stage for the upcoming Vega C launcher, scheduled to debut by the end of 2024. The mission underscored Arianespace’s commitment to supporting Europe’s independent access to space and enhancing environmental monitoring. The Sentinel-2C satellite will aid in agriculture, water quality, and disaster management.

(PRESS RELEASE) KOUROU FRENCH GUIANA, 6-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Arianespace has successfully concluded its Vega launch program with the successful deployment of the Sentinel-2C satellite, marking a significant milestone for European space missions. Launched from the Guiana Space Center, the Sentinel-2C, part of the European Commission’s Copernicus Earth observation program, was placed into a Sun-synchronous orbit, providing crucial data for environmental monitoring.

The VV24 mission, executed by the Vega rocket, represents the final flight of this launcher before transitioning to its successor, the Vega C, which is expected to return to flight by the end of 2024. This launch underscored the Vega rocket’s impressive track record of reliability and versatility, successfully positioning Sentinel-2C in its intended orbit 57 minutes and 27 seconds after liftoff.

Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, expressed pride in the mission’s success, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting Europe’s independent access to space and environmental monitoring. “The successful launch of Sentinel-2C highlights our dedication to utilizing space technology for a better quality of life on Earth and ensures Europe’s continued autonomy in space.”

Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio, praised the Vega rocket’s legacy and the collaboration with various European space agencies. He highlighted the upcoming transition to Vega C and Vega E as crucial steps in advancing Europe’s space capabilities.

The Sentinel-2C satellite, built by Airbus Defence and Space, will contribute valuable data for agriculture, water quality, and disaster management. It is part of the larger Copernicus program, the world’s leading Earth observation initiative, which provides critical data to various sectors including environmental monitoring and agriculture.

ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, praised the mission as a significant advancement for Copernicus, supporting global climate change initiatives and environmental monitoring.

This launch marks the 22nd and final mission of the Vega rocket, which has successfully carried out a total of 22 launches over 12 years. The next phase for Europe’s space program will see the Vega C rocket take over, with its first mission scheduled to carry Sentinel-1C by late 2024.

Highlights:

• 22nd and final Vega launch
• Successful deployment of Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite
• Transition to the Vega C launcher, planned for late 2024
• Sentinel-2C will support critical environmental and agricultural applications

For more information, visit Arianespace’s website and follow updates on the upcoming Vega C launch.

About Arianespace
Arianespace uses Space to make life better on Earth by providing launch services for all types of satellites into all orbits, since 1980. Arianespace is responsible for operating the new-generation Ariane 6 launcher, developed by ESA, with ArianeGroup as the prime industrial contractor. Arianespace will also operate the Vega C launches up until mission VV29, point at which Avio will become the sole operator and launch service provider of Vega C. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore. Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the Ariane and Vega European launcher industry, and ESA and CNES as censors.

www.arianespace.com

Media Contacts:

Julie Lenoir
Evry, France
Tel. : +33 6 75 28 31 80
j.lenoir@arianespace.com

Daphne Joseph-Gabriel
Evry, France
Tel. : +33 6 85 64 36 54
d.joseph-gabriel@
arianespace.com

SOURCE: Arianespace