Arianespace / ESA - Vega VV02 launch poster.
7 May 2013
Second Vega launch
Second Vega launch by Arianespace a success Proba-V, VNREDSat-1 and ESTCube-1 in orbit.
On Monday, May 6, 2013 at 11:06 pm local time in French Guiana, Arianespace successfully launched the second Vega rocket from the Guiana space Center (CSG), orbiting the Proba-V, VNREDSat-1 and ESTCube-1 satellites.
Vega launch sequence replay
The three solid-propellant stages performed flawlessly and, after two burns of the liquid-propellant upper stage, Proba‑V was released into a circular orbit at an altitude of 820 km, over the western coast of Australia, some 55 minutes into flight.
The satellite is now being controlled by ESA’s centre in Redu, Belgium, where it is undergoing a health check and testing before the operational phase starts to monitor the vegetation coverage on Planet Earth.
Artist's concept of the Proba-V satellite
After releasing Proba-V, the upper stage performed a third burn and the top half of the egg-shaped Vega Secondary Payload Adapter was ejected. After a fourth burn to circularise the orbit at an altitude of 704 km, VNREDSat-1A was released 1 hour 57 minutes into flight. ESTCube‑1 was ejected from its dispenser three minutes later.
Artist's concept of the VNREDSat 1 satellite
A fifth and last burn will now place the spent upper stage on a trajectory that ensures a safe reentry that complies with new debris mitigation regulations.
Second successful Vega launch from CSG
With Ariane 5, Soyuz and now Vega all operating from the Guiana Space Center, Arianespace is the only launch services operator in the world capable of launching all types of payloads into all types of orbits, from the largest to the smallest geostationary satellites, clusters of satellites for constellations and missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Arianespace / ESA launchers family
Vega is designed to launch payloads in the 1,500 kg class into orbit at an altitude of 700 km, which means that Europe now has a new launcher capable of handling all scientific and government missions, along with commercial launches.
Arianespace has now performed two launches from the Guiana Space Center in 2013, one with the Ariane 5 rocket and one with Vega. Starsem, the company's Euro-Russian joint venture, has also carried out a Soyuz launch in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. From now until the end of the year, Arianespace plans eight more launches from the Guiana Space Center.
For more information about Arianespace, visit: http://www.arianespace.com/index/index.asp
Images, Video, Text, Credits: ESA / P. Carril / Arianespace / EADS Astrium.
Greetings, Orbiter.ch
