Countdown will soon begin for Europe’s Vega launcher
01 February 2012
If everything goes to plan, ESA’s small rocket launcher Vega will be launched for the first time on 13 February from the new launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. It will carry nine different satellites into orbit.
Developing the Vega launcher by ESA and its partners has taken nine years. Named after the second brightest star in the northern hemisphere, Vega is a small launcher designed to place satellites that weigh between 300 and 2000 kg into polar and low-Earth orbits, to carry out many scientific and Earth observation missions. Vega is 30 metres high, has a diameter of 3 metres and weighs a total of 137 tonnes!
Unlike most small launchers, Vega is able to place more than just one satellite into orbit. On this particular flight, named VV01, Vega will be carrying a laser relativity satellite called LARES, a technology demonstration microsatellite called ALMASat-1, and seven little satellites called CubeSats. These are satellites with a maximum mass of 1 kg, which have been developed by more than 250 university students from six different countries over the last four years. CubeSats can be operated from university or radio amateur ground stations, and give aerospace engineering students excellent hands-on experience in working with satellites.
The Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad in Kourou. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s first ever flight from Europe’s Spaceport. The next steps to be completed are the final checkout of the assembled vehicle, the full launch countdown rehearsal and fuelling. Once these have been completed, Vega will be ready for liftoff!
