Successful Launch of Arianespace’s Vega Rocket with 12 Satellites

A European Vega rocket, operated by Arianespace, successfully launched 12 satellites into orbit in its first mission of 2023. The Vega rocket lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 9:36 p.m. EDT on October 8.

These 12 satellites are destined for low Earth orbit (LEO) and were deployed approximately one hour and 45 minutes after launch, as planned. The Vega rocket is specifically designed for launching smaller payloads and can carry up to 3,300 pounds to an orbit 435 miles above Earth.

The Vega rocket, introduced in February 2012, had its 23rd mission named VV23. Its predecessor, the upgraded Vega-C, experienced two missions, one in July 2022 and another in December 2022, with the latter ending in failure due to a nozzle flaw.

Among the primary payloads on this mission were THEOS-2, an Earth-imaging satellite weighing 919 pounds, designated for the government of Thailand. Additionally, FormoSat-7R/Triton, developed by Taiwan’s space agency, weighed 531 pounds and is equipped with GNSS-R technology to collect data about wind patterns over oceans, aiding typhoon intensity forecasts.

This mission also carried 10 other payloads for six different customers, totaling 12 satellites weighing 2,738 pounds. Initially scheduled for October 6, the launch was delayed due to a minor issue with the Vega rocket.

This successful launch marks another achievement in Arianespace’s long history of satellite deployments and contributes to various scientific and Earth-monitoring efforts.

A European Vega rocket, operated by Arianespace, successfully launched 12 satellites into orbit in its first mission of 2023. The Vega rocket lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 9:36 p.m. EDT on October 8.

These 12 satellites are destined for low Earth orbit (LEO) and were deployed approximately one hour and 45 minutes after launch, as planned. The Vega rocket is specifically designed for launching smaller payloads and can carry up to 3,300 pounds to an orbit 435 miles above Earth.

The Vega rocket, introduced in February 2012, had its 23rd mission named VV23. Its predecessor, the upgraded Vega-C, experienced two missions, one in July 2022 and another in December 2022, with the latter ending in failure due to a nozzle flaw.

Among the primary payloads on this mission were THEOS-2, an Earth-imaging satellite weighing 919 pounds, designated for the government of Thailand. Additionally, FormoSat-7R/Triton, developed by Taiwan’s space agency, weighed 531 pounds and is equipped with GNSS-R technology to collect data about wind patterns over oceans, aiding typhoon intensity forecasts.

This mission also carried 10 other payloads for six different customers, totaling 12 satellites weighing 2,738 pounds. Initially scheduled for October 6, the launch was delayed due to a minor issue with the Vega rocket.

This successful launch marks another achievement in Arianespace’s long history of satellite deployments and contributes to various scientific and Earth-monitoring efforts.