vega

Rideshare mission on deck for penultimate Vega rocket as Vega-C successor remains sidelined

The dozen spacecraft for the penultimate flight of an Arianespace Vega rocket prior encapsulation in the payload fairing. Image: Airbus Space A pair of Earth observation satellites along with ten auxiliary payloads will launch aboard Arianespace’s penultimate Vega rocket into sun-synchronous orbit on Friday. The light launch vehicle, which began flying in 2012, is set …

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Swiss company selects Arianespace to launch first space debris removal mission

Artist’s concept of ClearSpace’s spacecraft approaching a piece of space debris from a previous Vega rocket launch in 2013. Credit: ClearSpace Swiss-based in-orbit servicing startup ClearSpace has contracted Arianespace to launch its first debris removal mission to capture and deorbit a 100-kilogram (220-pound) piece of space debris. Europe’s Vega C will launch the ClearSpace-1 servicer …

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Two Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites lost in failure of Europe’s Vega C rocket

EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated at 12 p.m. EST (1700 GMT) with details from news conference. Illustration of the Vega C rocket with its Zefiro 40 second stage firing. Credit: Arianespace The final two spacecraft in Airbus’s four-satellite, 600 million-euro commercial Pléiades Neo Earth observation fleet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after launch from French Guiana Tuesday …

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Two Airbus Earth-imaging satellites poised for launch on Vega C rocket

A Vega C rocket on its launch pad in French Guiana with the Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites inside the payload fairing. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/S. Martin Two Pléiades Neo Earth observation satellites are set to join Airbus’s constellation of high-resolution optical imagers with a launch Tuesday night from French Guiana on the first commercial flight of Europe’s …

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Europe’s Vega-C launcher successful on inaugural flight

Europe’s Vega-C launcher lifts off from Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/S. Martin The excitement of Europe’s successful inaugural launch of its Vega-C rocket Wednesday was palpable at the launch site in French Guiana as the countdown went into two technical holds during the two-hour window. Flight VV21 finally lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French …

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Europe’s upgraded Vega-C launcher ready for first flight

The first Vega-C launcher inside its mobile gantry at the Guiana Space Center in South America. Credit:ESA-Manuel Pedoussaut Europe’s new Vega-C launcher, debuting more powerful rocket motors and a larger payload volume, is set to lift off on its first flight Wednesday from Kourou, French Guiana, to cap more than seven years of development. The …

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French military intelligence satellites launch on Vega rocket

A Vega rocket takes off Tuesday with the French military’s three CERES reconnaissance satellites. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/S. Martin A European Vega rocket fired into space from French Guiana Tuesday and deployed three French military satellites to locate sources of radio and radar transmissions around the world, clearing the way for final modifications on the Vega launch …

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Arianespace launches second Pléiades Neo remote sensing satellite

A European Vega rocket blasts off with nearly 700,000 pounds of thrust Monday night. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon A European Vega rocket launched from French Guiana Monday night with Airbus’s second Pléiades Neo remote sensing satellite, two European Space Agency CubeSats to track space weather, a student-built nanosatellite …

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Vega rocket set to launch next Airbus Pléiades Neo remote sensing satellite

The payload compartment containing the Pléiades Neo 4 Earth observation satellite is lifted into the Vega rocket’s launch pad gantry in preparation for Monday night’s mission. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace An Airbus-owned commercial optical Earth-imaging satellite and four small CubeSat rideshare payloads are set for launch Monday night from French Guiana aboard a European Vega rocket. The …

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“Big relief” as Europe’s Vega rocket returns to service with successful launch

A four-stage Vega launcher blasts off from French Guiana on Wednesday night. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon A European Vega rocket deployed six commercial satellites in orbit, including a new Airbus-built eye-in-the-sky for high-resolution Earth-imaging, on a successful launch from French Guiana on Wednesday night after two of the …

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