Europe’s Vega rocket, developed by the Italian aerospace company Avio, embarked on its final mission on Wednesday evening, launching from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The rocket successfully carried into orbit the Sentinel-2C satellite, a crucial component of the European Union’s Copernicus program.
The launch, initially scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed by a day due to “electrical issues on the ground links,” as reported by the French launch service provider, Arianespace. However, the Vega rocket finally lifted off at 10:50 pm local time (0150 GMT Thursday), carrying the Sentinel-2C satellite into its designated orbit.
The Sentinel-2C satellite is designed to play a vital role in environmental monitoring and disaster management. It will be instrumental in monitoring water quality, detecting methane emissions, and providing critical data to support the management of natural disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes, and floods.
This mission marks the end of an era for the Vega rocket, which has been in service since 2012. It is being replaced by the more powerful Vega-C, which has been grounded since 2022 following a launch failure that resulted in the loss of two Airbus satellites. The Vega-C is expected to resume operations in the coming months.
The successful launch of the Sentinel-2C satellite is a testament to the progress of European space exploration and its commitment to using space technology for the benefit of humanity. The satellite’s data will be crucial for understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change, pollution, and natural disasters.
