WASHINGTON — A Vega C efficiently launched an Earth statement satellite tv for pc Dec. 5 within the rocket’s first flight since a failure almost two years in the past.
The Vega C lifted off from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:20 p.m. Eastern. The launch was beforehand scheduled for Dec. 4 however delayed a day as a result of an issue with the cell launch gantry on the pad.
The three solid-fuel decrease levels of the Vega C carried out as anticipated, adopted by three burns by the liquid-propellant AVUM+ higher stage. That higher stage deployed its payload, the Sentinel-1C satellite tv for pc, about one hour and 45 minutes after liftoff.
The launch was the primary for the Vega C since a December 2022 launch failure on the rocket’s second flight that destroyed two Pléiades Neo imaging satellites. That failure was blamed on the nozzle on the Zefiro-40 motor within the rocket’s second stage. Avio, the prime contractor for the Vega C, first changed the carbon-carbon materials within the nozzle, however the nozzle failed in a June 2023 static-fire take a look at, resulting in a redesign of the nozzle itself.
The redesigned motor accomplished two static-fire checks in May and October, giving Avio, launch providers firm Arianespace and the European Space Agency confidence that the issue was corrected. The motor carried out as anticipated on this flight.
The payload, Sentinel-1C, is a radar imaging satellite tv for pc constructed by Thales Alenia Space for the Copernicus program of Earth statement missions run by ESA and the European Commission. It replaces the Sentinel-1B spacecraft that malfunctioned in orbit almost three years in the past. It joins the present, however ageing, Sentinel-1A satellite tv for pc and contains new capabilities to observe maritime visitors with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver.
“One second mixed two nice European achievements at the moment: the third launch of a Sentinel-1 satellite tv for pc and the third launch of Vega C, marking a triumphant return to type for each flagship European initiatives,” ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher stated in a press release after the launch.
The Vega C return to flight was notably vital since its earlier failure, coupled with the retirement of the Ariane 5 and delays within the introduction of the Ariane 6, led to what Aschbacher and others known as a “launcher disaster” in Europe. That compelled ESA and the EU to show to SpaceX for Falcon 9 launches of key science and navigation spacecraft.
“Today’s launch marks an important step ahead, reaffirming European unbiased entry to area,” stated Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA’s director of area transportation, in a post-launch assertion. “With Vega C again in flight and the inaugural launch of Ariane 6 in July, we’re in an amazing place going ahead.”
Four Vega C launches are deliberate for 2025, which would be the final with Arianespace because the launch providers supplier for the rocket. It is transitioning that duty to Avio, which has already taken over gross sales and advertising and marketing of the rocket.
“We are as soon as once more proud to contribute to the European Copernicus program and extra broadly to an unbiased entry to area for Europe by way of our launchers,” Giulio Ranzo, chief government of Avio, stated in a press release. “With Vega C, we’re able to ship our clients’ payloads to orbit with a scheduled improve in launch cadence for the upcoming years.”
With a largely profitable first launch of the Ariane 6 — a malfunction prevented the higher stage from performing a closing deorbit burn — and the return to flight of Vega C, ESA and launch corporations are actually specializing in rising flight charges. A second Ariane 6 was initially scheduled for late this 12 months, however Arianespace introduced a month in the past that it could be delayed to mid-February.
The delay, Arianespace stated on the time, wouldn’t have an effect on the schedule of future launches, and firm executives had beforehand projected six Ariane 6 launches in 2025. “Following this success and that of the inaugural flight of Ariane 6,” Stéphane Israël, chief government of Arianespace, stated after the Vega C launch, “Arianespace is making ready for a excessive degree of exercise in 2025.”
That excessive degree of exercise is a relative matter. By distinction, SpaceX has carried out greater than 120 launches of its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches to date this 12 months.
