The European House Company (ESA) is getting ready to finish its transition to its Vega-C rocket with the ultimate launch of its first-generation Vega rocket. The mission, dubbed VV24, will carry an Earth-imaging satellite tv for pc to a sun-synchronous orbit.
Liftoff of the twenty second and last Vega rocket is ready for 10:50 p.m. GFT (9:50 p.m. EDT, 0150 UTC) from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The mission was cleared to proceed by means of a launch readiness assessment that wrapped up on Sept. 2.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite tv for pc might be deployed from the launcher about 57 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff. Officers count on to amass sign from the spacecraft inside 12 minutes of separation.
“We’re actually delighted to begin the Vega 12 months with the European Union’s flagship program, Copernicus, enhancing life on Earth,” stated Stéphane Israël, the CEO of Arianespace, the corporate which manages the Vega rocket. “This mission actually highlights Arianespace’s dedication to house for higher life on Earth.”
Israël stated the launch marketing campaign, which formally started on July 12, has been “operating completely nicely”. He stated that the spacecraft started fueling on Aug. 16 and it was built-in with the higher stage on Aug. 27.
Starting of the tip
The Vega rocket started its service again in 2012 and launched 21 occasions since then. The purpose was to have a clean, overlapping transition from Vega to the Vega-C rocket, however an upper-stage concern in the course of the second flight of Vega-C put a wrench in that plan.
On Dec. 20, 2022, about 151 seconds into flight, that rocket encountered “a progressive lower within the chamber stress” on the second stage of the rocket (Zeifro40).” An Unbiased Enquiry Fee (IEC) investigation and subsequent testing adopted.
Again in October 2023, a spokesperson for Arianespace informed Spaceflight Now that the ultimate Vega launch was aiming for the primary quarter of 2024, following a return to flight mission of Vega-C by the tip of 2023. Nevertheless, these plans additionally shifted as work continued to higher perceive the anomaly.
“I can reassure you there’s no commonality between that failure and Vega. Even the Zeifro40 engine will not be used on that car,” stated Toni Tolker-Neilsen, ESA’s Director of House Transportation, throughout a prelaunch information convention. “We’ve got fully redesigned the Zeifro40 nozzle to make it rather more sturdy and we have now made a really profitable check of this motor with the brand new nozzle design.”
That check occurred in July and a second check is on faucet for October. Tolker-Neilsen stated there may be “superb confidence” within the outcomes of the July check and he stated they consider the testing subsequent month will even go easily, organising a return to flight in November.
“This planning has been secure [for] many, many months. Greater than a 12 months, we have now had a really secure scenario and we have now been following a plan that was set out in the course of final 12 months, truly, and I’m very assured that we’ll be capable to make it,” Tolker-Neilsen stated.
“It could be a launch of Sentinel-1C, which is ready for its launch.”
🎥 Vega joined the @ESA_transport household of launch autos at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in 2012. Tonight’s launch would be the final for #Vega, it’s being changed by Vega-C. Let’s take a look at this rocket’s historical past!
🔗https://t.co/Dl5EU2RdQz pic.twitter.com/HIhXScdw54— ESA house historical past (@ESA_History) September 3, 2024
As soon as the transition occurs, Arianespace might be answerable for all of the launches as much as VV29, which represents a complete of six missions, together with the VV24 flight of Vega. After that time, Avio turns into the “sole launch supplier and operator of Vega,” in keeping with Israël.
He stated they’ve missions booked by means of VV39 with a spread of shoppers, beginning with the European Fee. Beginning this month, the ESA member states determined that Avio would begin commercializing Vega-C and in search of non-governmental prospects along with these from the assorted governmental our bodies.
Tolker-Neilsen stated there are 4 Vega-C launches deliberate in 2025 and 5 in 2026. Israël affirmed that the shoppers are there to fill this manifest, including that “will probably be the accountability of Avio, for certain, 5 Vega-C per 12 months from 2026 onwards.” He stated they want to see an annual cadence of 9 to 11 Ariane 6 launches alongside 5 Vega-C missions.
Quarter century of Copernicus
The spacecraft onboard the Vega rocket set to launch Tuesday night time is a part of a program that’s marking 26 years this 12 months. There are seven, first-generation satellites which can be in operation and there are 13 extra satellites deliberate.
At the moment, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B function in the identical orbit, however 180 levels aside. At an altitude of 786 km (488.4 mi.), they may picture the entire Earth’s coastal and land waterways ever 5 days utilizing 13 spectral bands.
The primary two Sentinel-2 satellites are orbiting at an inclination of 98.62 levels.
As soon as it’s commissioned, Sentinel-2C, the third within the Sentinel-2 collection, will exchange Sentinel-2A, which launched on June 23, 2015. Equally, as soon as Sentinel-2D launches, it would exchange Sentinel-2B, which launched on March 7, 2017.
“There are already two satellites flying, however truly they’re ageing. It’s crucial to launch a brand new satellite tv for pc earlier than the others are ageing an excessive amount of,” stated Mauro Facchini, the European Fee’s Head of Unit for Earth Remark.
ESA stated the two-satellite constellation is comparable in mission objectives to NASA’s Landsat program and the French Satellite tv for pc pour l’Remark de la Terre (SPOT) satellite tv for pc collection, which have been in operation since 1972 and 1986 respectively.
The Sentinel-2 satellites have a lifespan of about 7.25 years, which features a three-month, in-orbit commissioning section. The batteries have a 12-year operational lifespan, to account for finish of life, deorbiting maneuvers.
They function a MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI), which ESA stated makes use of a so-called “push-broom idea.”
“A push-broom sensor works by gathering rows of picture knowledge throughout the orbital swath and utilises the ahead movement of the spacecraft alongside the trail of the orbit to supply new rows for acquisition,” ESA wrote. “The typical interval of statement over land and coastal areas is roughly 17 minutes and the utmost interval of statement is 32 minutes.”
These satellites have been used to assist bolster agriculture as wells as monitoring the well being of forests and monitoring methane.
