ESA - FLEX

ESA title

The mission

Using novel technology, the Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) will yield information about the health of the world’s plants. The information gathered will be used to improve our understanding of how carbon moves between plants and the atmosphere and how photosynthesis affects the carbon and water cycles.

The launch

Date: 15 September 2026
Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Rocket: Vega-C

814 Km altitude
3.5 yrs mission life
27-day repeat cycle

FLEX

Vega-C fairing opens to reveal Sentinel-3C and FLEX

Watch: FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch on Vega-C

09/09/2026 2421 views 31 likes

Teams at ESOC during ESA’s FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C launch and early orbit (LEOP) simulations

Enabling & Support

A team of teams like never before: rehearsing a unique laun…

11/09/2026 975 views 31 likes

Detecting plant stress from space

Ten quirky facts about plant fluorescence

10/09/2026 624 views 26 likes

Press Release N° 45–2026

FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch re-watch event on 15 September at ESA's Space Operations Centre

Media representatives are invited to attend the launch re-watch event for the FLEX (Fluorescence Explorer) and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites at the European Space Operations Centre (ESA/ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, on Tuesday morning, 15 September 2026.

07/09/2026 591 views

FLEX and Sentinel-3C being sealed from view

FLEX and Sentinel-3C sealed within Vega-C fairing

02/09/2026 2152 views 49 likes

Press Release N° 44–2026

Media invitation: FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C online media briefings

Media representatives are invited to join online media briefings in several languages ahead of the launch of the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites on a Vega-C rocket (flight VV30).

28/08/2026 921 views

Safey is paramount when fuelling a satellite

ESA’s photosynthesis satellite fuelled

20/08/2026 1954 views 47 likes

Press Release N° 35–2026

Call for interest: media programme for FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C launch at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending the media programme at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for the launch of the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites on a Vega-C rocket (flight VV30). Liftoff is expected to take place on 14 September 2026 (22:21 local time, 03.21 CEST on 15 September).

20/07/2026 1448 views

FLEX and Sentinel-3 head to launch site

FLEX and Sentinel-3C arrive at Europe’s Spaceport

16/07/2026 2163 views 42 likes

More items

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FLEX images
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FLEX mission kit
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Discover FLEX

FLEX and vegetation fluorescence

ESA's photosynthesis mission

2963 views 5 likes

Shining a light on plant health

Food and carbon

974 views 0 likes

Plant life

Photosynthesis

5677 views 7 likes

Detecting plant stress from space

Fluorescence

3096 views 2 likes

FLEX in an anechoic chamber

The satellite

510 views 1 likes

FLEX instrument mounted on its satellite

The instrument

690 views 1 likes

FLEX for a better understanding of plant health

Facts and figures

5681 views 5 likes

KSAT ground station in Svalbard

Data flow

1294 views 4 likes

ESRIN

Data products

6489 views 3 likes

Mission Advisory Group icon

Mission Advisory Group

1715 views 5 likes

FLEX mission kit

FLEX mission kit

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