Pléiades-Néo 3 & SSMS n°2

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

01:50:47

Thursday April 29, 2021

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Mission Details

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Launch Notes

Flight VV-18. Return to flight for Vega after the VV17 failure.

Pléiades-Néo 3

Wiki

Pléiades-Néo, initially also known as VHR-2020, is a four-satellite very high-resolution earth observation satellite constellation by Airbus Defence & Space designed as a follow-on to the Pléiades-HR satellites. The satellites will feature an imager with 30 cm ground resolution, possibly featuring CILAS deformable mirrors. They will use TesatSpacecom laser communication relay terminals to transfer data via the EDRS network, enabling near-real-time access to the images. The Pléiades-Néo constellation will use a 700 km orbit with two orbital planes to allow intra-day revisit times.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

1 Payload

923 kilograms

Tyvak-182A

Tyvak-182A (Eutelsat ELO alpha) is a 6U CubeSat that will serve as a transmission relay for customers located in areas not served by terrestrial networks and provide a redundant system with existing terrestrial networks. This will be the 35th Eutelsat satellite to be launched by Arianespace, whose backlog currently includes seven Eutelsat satellites: Quantum, KONNECT VHTS, Eutelsat 10B, and four other satellites under a Multi-Launch Services Agreement (MLSA). Tyvak-182A (Eutelsat ELO alpha) will also be Tyvak's fourth international satellite to be launched by Arianespace. Tyvak-182A (Eutelsat ELO alpha) will use the Tyvak 6U deployment device.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

1 Payload

8 kilograms

NorSat-3

Wiki

NorSat-3 was developed by Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) for the Norwegian Space Agency. NorSat-3 will carry an experimental navigation radar sensor to enhance ship detection capabilities from its onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. NorSat-3 follows the success of NorSat-1 and NorSat-2, producing data related to maritime traffic monitoring. NorSat-3 will be the first satellite to be launched by Arianespace for the Norwegian Space Agency and the third for Norway. It will also be the third satellite built by Space Flight Laboratory to be launched by Arianespace. This satellite will use the XPOD Duo deployment adaptor manufactured by Space Flight Laboratory.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

1 Payload

16 kilograms

BRAVO

Wiki

BRAVO is a 6U CubeSat manufactured by NanoAvionics with an integrated spectral survey payload developed by Aurora Insight. It is part of a two-satellite mission to expand Aurora Insight's radio spectrum data collection infrastructure. BRAVO will be the first satellite to be launched by Arianespace for Aurora Insight and the first manufactured by NanoAvionics. BRAVO and LEMUR-2 will use the Astrofein PSL12U-3w deployment system.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

1 Payload

8 kilograms

LEMUR-2

Wiki

Spire's LEMUR-2 satellites collect terrestrial data to provide the world's most advanced maritime, aeronautical and meteorological monitoring systems. The LEMUR-2 satellites also support hosted software and payloads through Spire Space Services. These two LEMUR-2 satellites will be the ninth and tenth Spire satellites to be launched by Arianespace and will share the Astrofein PSL12U-3w deployment system with BRAVO.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

2 Payloads

8 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Vega

Active 2012 to 2024

European Space Agency logo

Manufacturer

ESA

Price

$37.00 million

Rocket

Diameter: 3.025m

Height: 29.9m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 1,436 kg

Liftoff Thrust

2,200 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 2.6m

Height: 7.88m

Stages

4

Launch Site

ELV

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Fastest Turnaround

75 days

Stats

Vega


18th

Mission

1st

Mission of 2021

European Space Agency


283rd

Mission

1st

Mission of 2021

2021


35th

Orbital launch attempt