French Guiana: First Vega rocket launch a success for European Space Agency

A brand-newEuropean rocket soared into space early Monday (Feb. 13) in a launch debut that carried nine small satellites and the hopes of the European Space Agency all the way into orbit.

The space agency's new Vega rocket, which is designed to launch small satellites, blasted off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northern Atlantic coast of South America and reached orbit minutes later. Liftoff occurred at 5 a.m. ET (1000 GMT).

For more: First Vega rocket launch a success for European Space Agency

Europe's Shiny New Vega Rocket Blasts Off

Europe on Monday successfully launched a new lightweight rocket carrying a test payload, culminating a more than 12-year quest to master the entire range of space launchers.

Cheers, tears of relief and even a soccer-style chant greeted the maiden flight of Vega, a billion-dollar bid for a stake in the market to launch small satellites.

The 81-minute mission was a "qualification" flight carrying nine scientific satellites, aimed at proving a rocket incorporating several major innovations, engineers at the Kourou base in French Guiana said.

For more: Europe's Shiny New Vega Rocket Blasts Off : Discovery News

French Guiana: Vega set for its inaugural flight

On 13 February, the European Space Agency will perform the first qualification flight of its brand new Vega launch vehicle.

The very first Vega will lift off from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, to release nine satellites into orbit and add a new capability to Europe’s fleet of launch systems. The first mission, designated VV01, is scheduled for liftoff during a two-hour launch window during 10:00–12:00 GMT (11:00–13:00 CET; 07:00–09:00 local time)

This program was supported by seven ESA member states: Belgium, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.  Designed to provide Europe with a safe, reliable, competitive and efficient launch capacity for scientific and Earth observation payloads, Vega is compatible with payload masses ranging from 300 kg to 2500 kg, depending on the type and altitude of the orbit required by the customers.

This new capacity will complement the family of launch services already available from French Guiana: the Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle and the Soyuz medium-class launcher, introduced October 2011.

For more: ESA Portal - Vega set for its inaugural flight