Arianespace Flight VV09 / Behind the Scenes of the Dream

Continuing Vegas track record of success, Arianespaces ninth flight with the lightweight launcher delivered Europes Sentinel-2B Earth observation satellite to orbit tonight during a mission performed from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This was the ninth consecutive on-target launch with Vega since its introduction at the Spaceport in February 2012, and marked Arianespaces third liftoff so far in 2017 during which the company is targeting up to 12 missions with its launcher family composed of Vega along with the medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5.

Tonights Sentinel-2B payload is a part of the satellite system being deployed in the European Commissions Copernicus program to provide Europe with continuous, independent and reliable access to Earth observation data.

Sentinel-2B is the fourth Copernicus program satellite orbited by Arianespace, following the successful launch of Sentinel-1A on a Soyuz in April 2014, the lofting of Sentinel-2A aboard a Vega in June 2015, and the deployment of Sentinel-1B by a Soyuz in April 2016.