The SENTINEL-2B Earth-observation spacecraft was carried to low-Earth Orbit (LEO) by a Vega light launcher at 0149GMT on 7 March. The mission was conducted by Arianespace, under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), in service to the European Commission’s Copernicus global monitoring programme.
The launch took place from Vega launch pad, known as ELA-1 (Ensemble de lancement Ariane-1) or ELV (Ensemble de lancement Vega) at the European Spaceport, located at Kourou, French Guiana. The launch was the ninth Vega launch since 2012, and continues its flawless record.
The SENTINEL-2B spacecraft will work in conjunction with its SENTINEL-2A partner – previously launched in 2015 by another Vega rocket – to monitor land masses and coastal zones in order to help researchers more accurately track the effects of climate change.
