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Archives for November 2022

UPDATE 1: SpaceX to drive the HAKUTOR-R mission to the moon — launch now set for December 1st — also onboard is NASA’s Lunar Flashlight smallsat

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SpaceX is targeting Thursday, December 1st., for a Falcon 9 launch of ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1.

This is the first privately-led, Japanese mission to land on the lunar surface and will lift-off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Also onboard this mission is NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Lunar Flashlight.

The instantaneous launch window is at 3:37 a.m. ET (08:37 UTC)

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched SES-22 and three Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

A live webcast of this mission will start about 15 minutes prior to liftoff and may be viewed via this direct link…

UPDATE 1: Ready for Falcon 9 push — NASA’s Lunar Flashlight smallsat now set for December 1st launch

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This illustration shows NASA’s Lunar Flashlight using its four-laser reflectometer to search for surface water ice as it makes a close approach over the Moon’s South Pole.
Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

When NASA’s Lunar Flashlight launches, the smallsat will start a three month journey, with mission navigators guiding the spacecraft far past the Moon. The smallsat will then be slowly pulled back by gravity from Earth and the Sun before settling into a wide, science-gathering orbit to hunt for surface water ice inside dark regions on the Moon that haven’t seen sunlight in billions of years.

Earlier this year, NASA’s Lunar Flashlight mission underwent tests to prepare it for launch in November 2022. The solar-powered small satellite is shown here with its solar arrays extended in a Georgia Tech clean room.
Photo credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

No larger than a briefcase, Lunar Flashlight will use a reflectometer equipped with four lasers that emit near-infrared light in wavelengths readily absorbed by surface water ice. This is the first time that multiple colored lasers will be used to seek out ice inside these dark craters.

Should the lasers hit bare rock or regolith (broken rock and dust), the light will reflect back to the spacecraft. But if the target absorbs the light, that would indicate the presence of water ice. The greater the absorption, the more ice there may be.

The spacecraft’s orbit – called a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) – will take it 43,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from the Moon at its most distant point; at its closest approach, the satellite will graze the surface of the Moon, coming within 9 miles (15 kilometers) above the lunar South Pole.

Smallsats carry a limited amount of propellant, so fuel-intensive orbits aren’t possible. A near-rectilinear halo orbit requires far less fuel than traditional orbits and Lunar Flashlight will be only the second NASA mission to use this type of trajectory. The first is NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) mission, which arrived at its orbit on November 13th., making its closest pass over the Moon’s North Pole.

Lunar Flashlight will use a new kind of “green” propellant that is safer to transport and store than the commonly used in-space propellants such as hydrazine. In fact, Lunar Flashlight will be the first interplanetary spacecraft to use this propellant — one of the mission’s primary goals is to test this technology for future use. The propellant was successfully tested on a previous NASA technology demonstration mission in Earth orbit.

The science data collected by Lunar Flashlight will be compared with observations made by other lunar missions to help reveal the distribution of surface water ice on the Moon for potential use by future astronauts.

“We are bringing a literal flashlight to the Moon – shining lasers into these dark craters to look for definitive signs of water ice covering the upper layer of lunar regolith,” said Barbara Cohen, Lunar Flashlight principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “I’m excited to see our mission contribute to our scientific understanding of where water ice is on the Moon and how it got to be there.”

Lunar Flashlight is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on December 1st — see this SatNews posting…

Ready for launch — NASA’s Lunar Flashlight smallsat on November 30th

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This illustration shows NASA’s Lunar Flashlight using its four-laser reflectometer to search for surface water ice as it makes a close approach over the Moon’s South Pole.
Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

When NASA’s Lunar Flashlight launches, the smallsat will start a three month journey, with mission navigators guiding the spacecraft far past the Moon. The smallsat will then be slowly pulled back by gravity from Earth and the Sun before settling into a wide, science-gathering orbit to hunt for surface water ice inside dark regions on the Moon that haven’t seen sunlight in billions of years.

Earlier this year, NASA’s Lunar Flashlight mission underwent tests to prepare it for launch in November 2022. The solar-powered small satellite is shown here with its solar arrays extended in a Georgia Tech clean room.
Photo credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

No larger than a briefcase, Lunar Flashlight will use a reflectometer equipped with four lasers that emit near-infrared light in wavelengths readily absorbed by surface water ice. This is the first time that multiple colored lasers will be used to seek out ice inside these dark craters.

Should the lasers hit bare rock or regolith (broken rock and dust), the light will reflect back to the spacecraft. But if the target absorbs the light, that would indicate the presence of water ice. The greater the absorption, the more ice there may be.

The spacecraft’s orbit – called a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) – will take it 43,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) from the Moon at its most distant point; at its closest approach, the satellite will graze the surface of the Moon, coming within 9 miles (15 kilometers) above the lunar South Pole.

Smallsats carry a limited amount of propellant, so fuel-intensive orbits aren’t possible. A near-rectilinear halo orbit requires far less fuel than traditional orbits and Lunar Flashlight will be only the second NASA mission to use this type of trajectory. The first is NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) mission, which arrived at its orbit on November 13th., making its closest pass over the Moon’s North Pole.

Lunar Flashlight will use a new kind of “green” propellant that is safer to transport and store than the commonly used in-space propellants such as hydrazine. In fact, Lunar Flashlight will be the first interplanetary spacecraft to use this propellant — one of the mission’s primary goals is to test this technology for future use. The propellant was successfully tested on a previous NASA technology demonstration mission in Earth orbit.

The science data collected by Lunar Flashlight will be compared with observations made by other lunar missions to help reveal the distribution of surface water ice on the Moon for potential use by future astronauts.

“We are bringing a literal flashlight to the Moon – shining lasers into these dark craters to look for definitive signs of water ice covering the upper layer of lunar regolith,” said Barbara Cohen, Lunar Flashlight principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “I’m excited to see our mission contribute to our scientific understanding of where water ice is on the Moon and how it got to be there.”

Lunar Flashlight is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on November 30th — see this SatNews posting…

AAC Clyde Space’s first Kelpie satellite Supporting ORBCOMM’s AIS Service to Cape Canaveral launch site

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Kelpie satellite

AAC Clyde Space has delivered the first Kelpie satellite to Cape Canaveral, Florida, in preparation for its planned launch onboard the SpaceX Transporter 6 mission expected in December 2022. The 3U EPIC nanosatellite will deliver data to the U.S. company ORBCOMM Inc., a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, under an exclusive Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) deal. It is planned to be followed by the launch of a second Kelpie satellite in the first half of 2023.

The project will leverage a SDaaS model in which AAC Clyde Space owns and operates the satellites to deliver Automatic Identification System (AIS) data exclusively to ORBCOMM and its government and commercial customers, which is used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts. The state-of-the-art satellite weighs just 4 kg and features an advanced antenna concept developed by Oxford Space Systems to maximize AIS detections of all message types.

“The Kelpie satellite is one of the most innovative satellites AAC Clyde Space has ever built. It hosts advanced low-noise core avionics for reliable, high-performance space data handling as well as the company’s first payload development. Our joint mission with an established, leading data services company like ORBCOMM represents a major milestone for AAC Clyde Space in solidifying our strategic move to a Space Data as a Service model,”says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.

“Through the Kelpie mission focused on enhancing our global AIS data services, ORBCOMM’s government and commercial customers will benefit from more comprehensive global coverage and enhanced performance as well as the highest expected vessel detection rates in the industry over the long term,” says Greg Flessate, ORBCOMM’s SVP of Government and AIS. 

Currently, the group owns and operates a constellation of four satellites dedicated to SDaaS through its U.S. subsidiary AAC SpaceQuest. In addition to the Kelpie satellites, AAC Clyde Space plans to enhance its constellation with two satellites in the fourth quarter of 2023. Moreover, AAC Clyde Space has won a contract to deliver hyperspectral data from an additional three satellites, bringing the total number of satellites owned by the group for SDaaS purposes to eleven.

The two Kelpie satellites will join the other satellites in the constellation, dedicated to delivering AIS data used in maritime operations, and will support many applications, including domain awareness, search and rescue, environmental monitoring and maritime intelligence. ORBCOMM processes over 30 million AIS messages from more than 200,000 vessels per day for government and commercial customers to deliver a complete situational picture of global vessel activity.

Cobham Satcom’s ‘click’ solution enables multi-band that optimizes maritime operations

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Cobham Satcom, provider of radio and satellite communications solutions to the maritime and land mobile sectors announced Sea Tel 1500, a 1.5-meter dual-band, multi-orbit VSAT antenna solution.

Available in single Ku- or Ka-band, or as a ‘two antennas in one’ dual Ku-Ka-band configuration, the Sea Tel 1500 is a cutting-edge antenna system enabling vessels to seamlessly switch from Ku- to Ka-band in a simple click, ensuring that they benefit from the best available satellite offering to optimize their operational expenses and ensure always-on connectivity.

Fully operational readiness and business continuity today and tomorrow

In a world of communication technology transition marked by the emergence of new satellite constellations, what the cruise, offshore energy, government, and superyacht sectors really require is the flexibility to take advantage of the most reliable, highest performing satellite communication the future may bring. As a future-ready multi-orbit satcom solution, Sea Tel 1500 allows vessels to use their antennas within multiple satellite operator networks thanks to its ability to switch to different frequencies and networks on forthcoming non-geosynchronous satellite constellations, such as LEO, MEO and HEO.

In order to optimize vessel and business operations using the large pool of digital services and opportunities available today, Sea Tel 1500 VSAT unlocks significant gains in network, service flexibility and reliability offering customers the highest performing antenna and network. It is an easy-to-manage end-to-end satcom antenna solution that optimizes Total Cost of Ownership and provides ultimate performance for vessels demanding high bandwidth for business-critical applications.

Sea Tel 1500 is the first 1.5-meter maritime VSAT antenna to provide electronic Ku-Ka band switching without manual intervention, positioning it as a unique platform for dependable connectivity using established and forthcoming Ku-band services as well as high power Ka-band services. Because Sea Tel 1500 provides Ku-band operation on current GEO services in locations where Ka-band services are not available, it ensures full operational continuity regardless of a vessels’ navigation route.

“With the introduction of unique push-button electronic switching between Ka- and Ku-band, the new Sea Tel 1500 VSAT is effectively a two-in-one antenna designed to ensure full business continuity as a vessel transits between different regions and satcom services. We are delighted to bring this flexibility to our customers looking to combine Ku-band coverage with high power regional Ka-band services, while optimizing lifetime costs and simplifying operations. All in a compact footprint,” said Peter Kiær, Senior Vice President, Maritime at Cobham Satcom.

First delivery of Sea Tel 1500 Ku-Ka Dual Band VSAT Antennas is expected during Q4 2022.

Contract signed by Momentus to deploy the CUAVA-2 smallsat for the Australian Research Centre

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Momentus Inc. has signed a contract with the CUAVA Training Centre at the University of Sydney to deploy the CUAVA-2 cubesat to LEO in October 2023.

CUAVA is the Australian Research Council Training Centre for CubeSats, Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles, and their Applications and is a partnership centered at the University of Sydney that aims to fundamentally change the capabilities and applications of cubesats to create major, commercial value, with wide applications.

CUAVA-2 is a 6U cubesat with two primary payloads…

(1) A Hyperspectral Imager developed by the Space Photonics group (SAIL) in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney to demonstrate a novel imager and provide high resolution spatial and spectral data for applications across agriculture and forestry, coastal and marine environments, urban areas, water hazards and mineral exploration

(2) A GPS Reflectometry payload developed by the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at the University of New South Wales. CUAVA-2 will be the second satellite to be launched by CUAVA, targeted for deployment from a Momentus Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle that will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Artistic rendition of the Momentus OTV — Vigoride, courtesy of the company.

CUAVA-2 also carries multiple secondary payloads and technology demonstrations, including the Charge Exchange Thruster (CXT), the wide field-of-view CROSS star tracker, the Electron Density and Debris Instrument (EDDI), the Electro Permanent Magnetorquer, the Perovskites in Orbit Test (Port) payload of advanced solar cells, and a Radiation Counter and Data over Power-bus payload. These payloads were developed at the University of Sydney.

“Momentus is proud to partner with CUAVA, a leading Australian research center,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer, John Rood. “Innovation and pushing the boundaries of technology is what we love to do at Momentus. We look forward to supporting CUAVA’s mission to use leading edge capabilities in space to improve life on Earth.”

“The CUAVA-2 CubeSat is the culmination of several years of hard work by the satellite team and our partners,” said CUAVA Director, Professor Iver Cairns. “We are looking forward with great excitement to the launch with Momentus, and to gathering unique data from the many advanced payloads and technology demonstrators on CUAVA-2 once in orbit.”

Momentus is a U.S. commercial space company that offers in-space infrastructure services, including in-space transportation, hosted payloads and in-orbit services. Momentus believes it can make new ways of operating in space possible with its in-space transfer and service vehicles that will be powered by an innovative water plasma-based propulsion system that is under development.

CUAVA is funded by the Australian Research Council. Working with Industry Partners, its mission is to train the next generation of workers in advanced manufacturing, commercial space, and uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) applications. In doing so, CUAVA will develop new instruments and technology to solve crucial problems, and develop a world-class Australian industry in CubeSats, UAVs, and related products. CUAVA has been in operation since December 2017, with headquarters at the University of Sydney.

ISRO’s ‘workhorse’ PSLV-C54/EOS-06 accomplished its mission with all satellites injected into their intended orbits

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PSLV-C54 Lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Center’s First Launch Pad.

ISRO’s work horse, PSLV-C54, successfully launched EOS-06 satellite along with Eight Nano-satellites into two different SSPOs. The mission was accomplished from Satish Dhawan Space Center SHAR on 26th November 2022.

EOS-06 is the third generation satellite in the Oceansat series that provides continued services of Oceansat-2 with enhanced payload capability. The satellite onboard carries four important payloads. Ocean Color Monitor (OCM-3), Sea Surface Temperature Monitor (SSTM), Ku-Band Scatterometer (SCAT-3), ARGOS.

The Oceansat-2 which was a launched in September 2009 configured to cover global oceans and provide continuity of ocean color data with global wind vector and characterization of lower atmosphere and ionosphere. The mission resulted in many research collaborations nationally and internationally on various areas of global chlorophyll distribution, Kd 490 distribution, ocean color images, oil spillages, wind vector products.

The EOS-06 is planned to observe ocean color data, sea surface temperature and wind vector data to use in oceanography, climatic and meteorological applications. The satellite also supports value added products such as potential fishing zone using chlorophyll, SST and wind speed and land based geophysical parameters.

The Primary satellite (EOS-06) has been separated in Orbit-1. The satellite launch was witnessed by Secretary, MOES Dr. M. Ravichandran and Secretary, DBT Dr. Rajesh Gokhale.

EOS-06

Subsequently Orbit was changed by using two Orbit Change Thrusters (OCTs) introduced in the Propulsion Bay Ring of the PSLV-C54 Vehicle. Later all the seven commercial satellites from NSIL were deployed successfully.

Astrocast is a 3U spacecraft with 4 nos. of Satellites from Spaceflight Inc, USA, were separated subsequently.

The Thybolt is a 0.5U spacecraft bus that includes a communication payload to enable rapid technology demonstration and constellation development for multiple users from Dhruva Space using their own Orbital Deployer with a minimum lifetime of 1 year, was deployed in the intended orbit.

The Anand three axis stabilized Nano satellite is a technology demonstrator for miniaturized electro-optical payload and all other sub-systems like TTC, power, onboard computer and ADCS from Pixxel, India was also placed in the orbit successfully

INDIA-BHUTAN SAT, a collaborative mission between India and Bhutan, is INS-2B satellite for Bhutan with two payloads. NanoMx, a multispectral optical imaging payload developed by Space Applications Center (SAC) and APRS-Digipeater which is jointly developed by DITT-Bhutan and URSC was successfully deployed.

Sri S Somanath, Secretary, Department of Space / Chairman, ISRO described the launch as a perfect text book launch and congratulated the ISRO team, NSIL, Industry, and customer for the fabulous achievement.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishanker

Later External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishanker addressed the nation and applauded the efforts put in by ISRO and Bhutan scientists for this mission which will mark the extended co-operation in space between the two countries under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He also recalled the inauguration of ground Earth station established by ISRO for the south Asia satellite, jointly by both the countries, during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi during 2019.

Minister of Information and Communications, Royal Government of Bhutan addressed the community and expressed his full satisfaction with the launch and effort taken by ISRO and Bhutan teams.

All the users from Dhruva Aerospace, Pixxel India were present in the launch.
Some of the major sub-systems of the satellite were supplied by Indian Industry; Ananth Technologies, Newtech, Centum, Cosmos, DataPatterns, HAL , and PARAS Defence limited.

The live launch was witnessed by 10,342 people from the open view gallery at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

UPDATE 2: Arianespace offers new launch dates for the Vega C mission launch of the Pléiades Neo satellites

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After the discovery of a defective equipment when arming the Vega C launcher for the Flight VV22, Arianespace has taken the decision to postpone the launch. In order to replace the equipment, the upper composite of the launcher will be taken back to the payload preparation facilities and the payload fairing will be opened for the intervention.

All the operations will be handled, in respect of the environmental requirements of the two Pléiades Neo satellites and in accordance with Arianespace’s quality policy. In order to secure both launch dates for Ariane 5 flight VA259 and Vega C flight VV22, Arianespace decided to update its manifest, swapping the two missions:

  • The new targeted launch date for VV22 now is December 20;
  • The new targeted launch date for VA259 –initially scheduled for December 14- now is December 13.

Update 1 posting…

Due to a defective equipment that needs to be replaced on the launcher, Flight VV22 – initially scheduled for November 24th from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana –must be postponed.

The Vega C launch vehicle and the two Pléiades Neo satellites are in safe conditions.

A new launch date, in December, will be shared as soon as possible.

Original posting…

On Thursday, November 24, 2022 at 10:47 pm local time (01:47 am (UTC) on Friday, November 25), Arianespace’s first Vega C mission will lift off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with the 30cm resolution satellites Pléiades Neo 5 and 6. This first commercial flight follows the success, July 13, of Vega C inaugural launch operated by the European Space Agency (ESA).

After liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport, the Vega C launcher will fly powered by the first three stages for a little over seven minutes. The third stage ZEFIRO 9 will then separate from the upper composite, which comprises the AVUM+ upper stage and the two Pléiades Neo satellites. The AVUM+ stage will ignite its engine for the first time about nine and an half minutes, followed by a ballistic phase lasting approximately 35 minutes, in order to reach the injection altitude of the first satellite.

The AVUM+ stage will then restart its engine for a second burn lasting 2 minutes and 30 seconds to circularize the orbit at an altitude of 629 km before releasing the first satellite. The next step, 6 minutes and 39 seconds later, will be a 15 seconds RACS boost leading to a new ballistic phase lasting about 36 minutes. It will be interrupted by a third AVUM+ ignition phase lasting exactly 5 seconds, and will be followed by the release of the second satellite at an altitude of 614 km.

Approximately nine minutes later will occur the fourth and last AVUM+ ignition for a period of 61 seconds, that will deorbit the launcher — marking the end of mission VV22, one hour, 53 minutes and 55 seconds after liftoff.

Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 fully funded and manufactured by its operator Airbus, are the two final satellites of the Pléiades Neo constellation that will respectively be the 139th and 138th Airbus Defence and Space satellites to be launched by Arianespace as well as the 120th and 119th satellites launched by a launcher of the Vega family.

The first one, Pléiades Neo 3, has been successfully orbited by Vega Flight 18 on April 28, 2021, and the second one, Pléiades Neo 4, by Vega Flight 19 on August 16, 2021. Built using the latest Airbus’ innovations and technological developments, the constellation allows imaging any point of the globe, several times per day, at 30cm resolution. Highly agile and reactive, they can be tasked up to 15 minutes before acquisition, and send the images back to Earth within the following hour. Smaller, lighter, more agile, accurate and reactive than the competition, they are the first of their class whose capacity will be fully commercially available. Thanks to these state-of-the-art satellites, each step of the acquisition and delivery cycle offers top-level Earth observation services now and going forward for the next ten years.

Vega C, which stands for Consolidation, has been developed to better respond to customers’ needs based on the lessons learned from the first decade (2012-2022) of Vega operations. The launcher has been upgraded with more powerful first and second stage Solid Rocket Motors, bigger AVUM tanks and with a larger fairing that significantly increase payload mass (up to 2,350t in SSO – Sun-Synchronous Orbit) and double allowable volume.

The launcher also better meets the specific needs of small spacecraft, as a result of its improved SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) dispenser and to its AVUM+ that will allow seven re-ignitions. Vega C can thus achieve three different orbits for its multiple payloads on the same mission, instead of the two previously possible with Vega.

Vega C development program has been managed by ESA. It associates 12 of Member States of the Agency. Avio Spa (Colleferro, Italy) is the industrial prime contractor for both launch vehicle and interfacing ground infrastructure. Avio is also responsible for campaign operations and preparation of the launch vehicle up to lift-off. Avio hands over a “ready to fly” rocket to Arianespace, which sells the Vega C, defines the missions’ requirements, validates its flight worthiness, and operates it from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

During launch campaigns, Arianespace works closely with CNES, the French space agency and the launch range authority at the European Spaceport in Kourou, who is notably looking after the satellite preparation facilities besides being responsible for the protection of populations.

UPDATE 1: Arianespace’s first Vega C mission to complete the Pléiades Neo constellation has to be delayed

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Due to a defective equipment that needs to be replaced on the launcher, Flight VV22 – initially scheduled for November 24th from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana –must be postponed.

The Vega C launch vehicle and the two Pléiades Neo satellites are in safe conditions.

A new launch date, in December, will be shared as soon as possible.

Original posting…

On Thursday, November 24, 2022 at 10:47 pm local time (01:47 am (UTC) on Friday, November 25), Arianespace’s first Vega C mission will lift off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with the 30cm resolution satellites Pléiades Neo 5 and 6. This first commercial flight follows the success, July 13, of Vega C inaugural launch operated by the European Space Agency (ESA).

After liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport, the Vega C launcher will fly powered by the first three stages for a little over seven minutes. The third stage ZEFIRO 9 will then separate from the upper composite, which comprises the AVUM+ upper stage and the two Pléiades Neo satellites. The AVUM+ stage will ignite its engine for the first time about nine and an half minutes, followed by a ballistic phase lasting approximately 35 minutes, in order to reach the injection altitude of the first satellite.

The AVUM+ stage will then restart its engine for a second burn lasting 2 minutes and 30 seconds to circularize the orbit at an altitude of 629 km before releasing the first satellite. The next step, 6 minutes and 39 seconds later, will be a 15 seconds RACS boost leading to a new ballistic phase lasting about 36 minutes. It will be interrupted by a third AVUM+ ignition phase lasting exactly 5 seconds, and will be followed by the release of the second satellite at an altitude of 614 km.

Approximately nine minutes later will occur the fourth and last AVUM+ ignition for a period of 61 seconds, that will deorbit the launcher — marking the end of mission VV22, one hour, 53 minutes and 55 seconds after liftoff.

Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 fully funded and manufactured by its operator Airbus, are the two final satellites of the Pléiades Neo constellation that will respectively be the 139th and 138th Airbus Defence and Space satellites to be launched by Arianespace as well as the 120th and 119th satellites launched by a launcher of the Vega family.

The first one, Pléiades Neo 3, has been successfully orbited by Vega Flight 18 on April 28, 2021, and the second one, Pléiades Neo 4, by Vega Flight 19 on August 16, 2021. Built using the latest Airbus’ innovations and technological developments, the constellation allows imaging any point of the globe, several times per day, at 30cm resolution. Highly agile and reactive, they can be tasked up to 15 minutes before acquisition, and send the images back to Earth within the following hour. Smaller, lighter, more agile, accurate and reactive than the competition, they are the first of their class whose capacity will be fully commercially available. Thanks to these state-of-the-art satellites, each step of the acquisition and delivery cycle offers top-level Earth observation services now and going forward for the next ten years.

Vega C, which stands for Consolidation, has been developed to better respond to customers’ needs based on the lessons learned from the first decade (2012-2022) of Vega operations. The launcher has been upgraded with more powerful first and second stage Solid Rocket Motors, bigger AVUM tanks and with a larger fairing that significantly increase payload mass (up to 2,350t in SSO – Sun-Synchronous Orbit) and double allowable volume.

The launcher also better meets the specific needs of small spacecraft, as a result of its improved SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) dispenser and to its AVUM+ that will allow seven re-ignitions. Vega C can thus achieve three different orbits for its multiple payloads on the same mission, instead of the two previously possible with Vega.

Vega C development program has been managed by ESA. It associates 12 of Member States of the Agency. Avio Spa (Colleferro, Italy) is the industrial prime contractor for both launch vehicle and interfacing ground infrastructure. Avio is also responsible for campaign operations and preparation of the launch vehicle up to lift-off. Avio hands over a “ready to fly” rocket to Arianespace, which sells the Vega C, defines the missions’ requirements, validates its flight worthiness, and operates it from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

During launch campaigns, Arianespace works closely with CNES, the French space agency and the launch range authority at the European Spaceport in Kourou, who is notably looking after the satellite preparation facilities besides being responsible for the protection of populations.

Rocket Lab completes the final launch rehearsal prior to the 1st Electron mission from U.S. soil

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With rocket and launch pad checkouts complete, Rocket Lab is ready for its first mission from U.S. soil at Launch Complex 2 in Virginia

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has completed a final launch rehearsal and is ready for the lift-off for the company’s first mission from U.S. soil as early as December 7th — the mission will occur at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) that is located within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility — a launch pad developed to support U.S. Electron missions for government and commercial customers.

Electron Rocket Arrives at Launch Complex 2 for Rocket Lab’s Inaugural Mission from Virginia

Known as a Wet Dress Rehearsal, this pre-launch exercise sees the launch team carry out the same activities and procedures they will conduct on launch day to ensure the Electron rocket, launch pad, and supporting systems are ready for flight. As part of the rehearsal, Electron was rolled out to the launch pad and raised vertically before it was loaded with fuel and liquid oxygen to verify fueling procedures.

The launch team then conducted a full launch countdown, ending before the final step of engine ignition of Electron’s Rutherford engines. Electron was then de-tanked of fuel and returned to Rocket Lab’s Integration and Control Facility (ICF) at the Wallops Research Park to await launch during a window that extends from December 7 – 20.

The “Virginia Is For Launch Lovers” mission will deploy three satellites for radio frequency (RF) geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360, with integration of those satellites to Electron taking place in the coming days at Rocket Lab’s ICF.

The NASA Autonomous Flight Termination Unit.
Credits: NASA

Meanwhile, NASA is continuing to make progress in certifying its Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) software required for the launch. This will be the first time an AFTS will be flown from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, representing a valuable new capability for the nation.

Rocket Lab has already conducted 32 Electron missions from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and has delivered 152 satellites to orbit for customers that have included NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, DARPA, the U.S. Space Force and a range of commercial constellation operators. Electron is already the most frequently launched, small orbital rocket globally and, now with the capacity of the pads at Launch Complex 1 and 2 combined, Rocket Lab has more than 130 Electron launch opportunities every year.

This launch will be the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to LEO between late 2022 and 2024. These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of RF monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world.

“This mission is a significant moment for Rocket Lab and a pivotal milestone for Virginia’s long legacy in spaceflight,” said Rocket Lab CEO and founder, Peter Beck. “With wet dress rehearsal now complete, we’re excited to move into launch operations for this historic mission.”

“We are honored to support the launch of this historic mission,” said Ted Mercer, CEO and Executive Director of Virginia Space. “In addition to being Rocket Lab’s first and only U.S. launch location, we will also be building rockets and processing their payload right here in Accomack County – something that has never been done in Virginia. Our partnership with Rocket Lab is a unique opportunity for the Commonwealth of Virginia to create long-term economic development opportunities in the form of high-paying jobs, launch viewing tourism, and construction of new facilities on the Eastern Shore.”

A live launch webcast will at this direct link and will start at approximately T-40 minutes.