Arianespace’s second Vega launch was successfully conducted at 0206 GMT on 7 May from itsdedicated launch pad at Kourou in French Guiana. The three satellites launchedwere the 140 kg Proba V, the 120 kg VNREDSat 1A and the 1kg ESTCube 1.
The Proba V satellite’s main sensor is a Vegetation imager which will take imageswith a best resolution of 100 metres. Proba V was built by QinetiQ Space forthe European Space Agency. The VNREDSat 1 satellite was built by Astrium forthe Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The satellite will be used toprovide the Vietnam Government with panchromatic imagery with a best resolutionof 2.5 metres and multi-spectral imagery with a best resolution of 10 metres.The collected imagery will be used for environmental and natural disasterprotection.
ESTCube 1 is Estonia’s first satellite and was built at TartuUniversity with the assistance of students from Tallinn University and theEstonian Flight Academy and some input from the University of Surrey in the UKand the International Space University in France. The single cubesat willbe used test solar sail steering technologies using electron emitters via awire to affect rotational speed.
