Paris (AFP)
The firing of the European Vega rocket, initially planned for Thursday evening from Kourou in Guyana for an unprecedented launch of a multitude of small satellites, has been postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions, announced Arianespace in a press release.
"The wind conditions at altitude above the Guyanese Space Center are currently unfavorable, Arianespace has decided not to start the final phase of the operations of preparation for the launch", explains the company in charge of the commercialization of the light launcher.
The closest targeted launch date is Saturday at 10.51 p.m. Kourou time, 3:51 a.m. Sunday morning Paris time, "subject to favorable weather conditions," adds Arianespace.
Takeoff was initially scheduled for Thursday at 10.51 p.m. Kourou time from the European spaceport. It had been postponed for three months due to the health crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
This flight should mark the return of the Vega rocket since its failure in the summer of 2019, which had led to its destruction, as a precaution.
It represents a crucial challenge for space Europe, which will enter a booming market, where competition - in particular that of the American SpaceX - is raging: the "VV16" mission is its first shared launch (or "rideshare"), which is to place 53 satellites in low orbit on behalf of 21 customers from 13 different countries.
This "cluster" is made up of seven small satellites (weighing between 15 and 150 kilos), as well as 46 nano-satellites, ranging from 300 grams to 11 kilos. Their applications range from communication to Earth observation, via scientific research.
"For the first time Europe will be able to consolidate a mission with several dozen satellites on board," according to Stéphane Israël, executive president of Arianespace.
It is "very important to be present on this innovative market, which is growing very quickly and democratizing access to space with much less costly projects," he told AFP.
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