Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
01:50:47
Thursday April 29, 2021
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Flight VV-18. Return to flight for Vega after the VV17 failure.
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 (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 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 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
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
18th
Mission
1st
Mission of 2021
283rd
Mission
1st
Mission of 2021
35th
Orbital launch attempt