Sentinel-2C encapsulated in Vega rocket for upcoming launch

Sentinel-2C encapsulated in Vega rocket for upcoming launch
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Aug 26, 2024
As the countdown to the launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite on September 4th progresses, the team at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has completed a crucial step by sealing the satellite within the Vega rocket's fairing.

Once deployed into orbit, Sentinel-2C will continue the mission of delivering high-resolution imagery for diverse applications in land, water, and atmospheric monitoring, as currently provided by its predecessors Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B.

Since its arrival at the spaceport in July, Sentinel-2C has undergone extensive preparations. This process involved numerous meticulous checks to confirm all components were functioning correctly, the careful loading of more than 130 kg of fuel, and finally, attaching the satellite to the Vega launch adapter.

The recent encapsulation of Sentinel-2C within the rocket fairing marks not only a significant milestone on the road to launch but also an emotional moment for the team. The satellite will not be visible again until it reaches orbit.

Patricia Lopez, ESA's Sentinel-2C launch campaign manager, commented, "The campaign to ready Sentinel-2C for launch has gone extremely well and this is thanks to the hard work from all the teams involved. Indeed, encapsulation is an important milestone and while we are extremely happy to have reached this point, it was also time for us to say farewell."

She added, "For a very short time before the fairing closure, the lucky ones who were here could see the satellite as never before, all dressed-up in its flight configuration and looking like a precious jewel that we will now keep safely packed until launch."

The final farewell will come soon, with liftoff scheduled for September 3rd at 22:50 local time in Kourou (September 4th, 03:50 CEST). The team is eagerly anticipating the event.

Sentinel-2C is the third satellite in the Sentinel-2 series. Once operational, it will replace Sentinel-2A, which was launched in 2015. The subsequent satellite, Sentinel-2D, will later replace Sentinel-2B.

This sequence of launches ensures the continuous availability of high-resolution optical imagery, which supports various Copernicus Services and other applications.

The Sentinel-2 mission operates with a pair of identical satellites in the same orbit, positioned 180 apart. Each satellite carries a high-resolution multispectral imager capable of capturing optical images across the visible, near-infrared, and shortwave-infrared spectrum. Orbiting at an altitude of 786 km, these satellites provide continuous imagery across 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10 m, 20 m, and 60 m, covering a wide 290 km swath.

Sentinel-2C will be launched aboard a Vega rocket, which is the final launch of this model before it is replaced by the upgraded Vega-C.