02/09/2024
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The Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite is ready for liftoff! Tune in to ESA WebTV on 4 September from 03:30 CEST to watch the satellite soar into space on the last Vega rocket to be launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Sentinel-2C is scheduled to liftoff at 03:50 CEST.
About Copernicus Sentinel-2
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring. The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. Together, they cover all of Earth’s land and coastal waters every five days.
The satellites each carry a high-resolution multispectral imager that generates optical images in the visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. From their altitude of 786 km, they provide continuous imagery in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10 m, 20 m and 60 m, with a large swath width of 290 km.
Sentinel-2C is the third in the Sentinel-2 series. Once commissioned in orbit, it will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A. Later, Sentinel-2D will replace Sentinel-2B. This all ensures the continuity of imagery for Copernicus Services and beyond.
More information about Sentinel-2
About Vega
Vega was the very first rocket entirely managed by ESA, built to send small satellites into low Earth orbit. Designed by Avio, who is also the prime contractor, the rocket is operated by Arianespace. Vega consists of four stages, the first three propelled by solid propellant motors and the last stage uses liquid propulsion.
The Vega inaugural flight took place in February 2012. In all, including this final upcoming VV24 mission, Vega will have launched 22 times during its years in service, taking more than 100 missions to space from dozens of European institutions but also customers around the world.
Sentinel-2C will be the last liftoff for the Vega rocket which specialises in launching such small scientific and Earth observation spacecraft to sun-synchronous orbits, flying over the poles of Earth and following the Sun. Fittingly the Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B satellites were also launched on Vega marking a logical conclusion to Vega’s stellar roster of satellites launched.
This final launch marks the handover of Vega to the upgraded Vega-C. Vega has for years ensured that Europe has a versatile, independent access to space, complementing the Ariane family of rockets to launch any satellite to any orbit – continuing with Vega-C and Ariane 6.
More information about Vega
Follow the launch live from Kourou (all times CEST)
Follow the launch live on ESA WebTV on 4 September from 03:30-05:07 CEST.
Key moments:
| Time in CEST | Time after liftoff | Event |
| 03:50 | 0:00:00 |
Liftoff first stage P80 motor fires |
| 03:51 | 0:01:56 | First stage separation |
| 03:53 | 0:03:39 | Second stage Zefiro-23 separation |
| 03:53 | 0:03:56 | Fairing jettison |
| 03:56 | 0:05:52 | Third stage Zefiro-9 separation |
| 03:57 | 0:07:36 | First ignition of fourth, upper stage, AVUM |
| 04:13-04:38 | Programme break | |
| 04:44 | 0:54:36 | Second ignition of AVUM |
| 04:47 | 0:57:32 | Sentinel-2C separation |
| 04:59 | 01:09:00 | Acquisition of signal |
| 05:01 | Closing remarks | |
| 05:07 | Transmission ends | |
| 05:46 | 1:54:52 | Third ignition of AVUM for deorbiting |