Vega Releases Five Satellites in Complex Mission

Arianespace - Flight VV07 Mission poster.

16 September 2016

Vega lifts off

Arianespace launched a Vega rocket on a complex mission early this morning that demonstrated the flexibility of its upper stage and multisatellite carrier.

In its first six flights, Vega delivered a wide range of satellites into very different orbits, demonstrating its flexibility.

Liftoff of the Vega mission with SkySats-4 to -7 and PerúSAT-1

Liftoff of the seventh mission from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana came at 01:43 GMT on 16 September (03:43 CEST; 22:43 local time on 15 September).

Four SkySat microsatellites for Terra Bella, with a total mass at liftoff of 440 kg, were released into their target orbit about 40 minutes into the mission.

PerúSAT-1

This was followed about 62 minutes later by the release of the 430 kg PeruSAT-1, Peru’s first Earth observation satellite.

SkySats-4 to -7

Vega is a 30 m-high, four-stage vehicle designed to accommodate small scientific and Earth observation payloads of 300–2500 kg depending on the orbit and altitude.

Related link:

ESA's Vega rocket: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Launchers/Launch_vehicles/Vega

Images, Video, Text, Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)/Arianespace.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch