Vega, light launcher, Avio S.p.A., Colleferro, Roma

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Vega launches THEOS-2, FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON and 10 CubeSats

Oct 9, 2023

For Arianespace’s VV23 mission, a Vega launch vehicle launched two Earth observation satellites, THEOS-2 and FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON, into Sun-synchronous orbit, from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on 9 October 2023, at 01:36 UTC (8 October, at 22:36 local time). THEOS-2 (Thailand Earth Observation System-2) a high-resolution Earth observation optical satellite. FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON, developed by the Taiwanese Space Agency (TASA), is equipped with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R), which collects signals that bounce off the sea surface. The VV23 mission also launched 10 CubeSats: ANSER LEADER, ANSER FOLLOWER 1, ANSER FOLLOWER 2, ESTCube-2, N3SS, PRETTY, MACSAT, PVCC, CSC-1 & 2.

 

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The last Vega launch
Sep 5, 2024

The last launch of the Vega launch vehicle (Arianespace VV24 mission) launched the Copernicus Sentinel-2C Earth observation satellite into Sun-synchronous orbit from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on 5 September 2024, at 01:50 UTC (4 September, at 22:50 local time).

 

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Vega-C launches Sentinel-1C

Dec 5, 2024

For Arianespace’s VV25 mission, a Vega-C launch vehicle launched the Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on 5 December 2024, at 21:20 UTC (18:20 local time).

 

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Vega-C launches Biomass

Apr 29, 2025

For Arianespace’s VV26 mission, a Vega-C launch vehicle launched ESA’s Biomass Earth observation satellite from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on 29 April 2025, at 09:15 UTC (06:15 local time). According to ESA, “Biomass is the first satellite equipped with a P-band synthetic aperture radar, which can penetrate the forest canopy to measure the ‘biomass’ – the woody trunks, branches and stems, which is where trees store most of their carbon”.

 

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Vega-C launches CO3D and MicroCarb

Jul 26, 2025

For Arianespace’s VV27 mission, a Vega-C launch vehicle launched Airbus Defence and Space’s CO3D constellation with four satellites and CNES's MicroCarb satellite, from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on 26 July 2025, at 02:03 UTC (25 July, at 23:03 local time). According to Arianespace, the CO3D (Constellation Optique 3D) constellation will deliver global high-resolution Digital Surface Model (DSM) services, while MicroCarb is designed to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide.