Vega-C makes a comeback with the launch of Sentinel-1C

The last launch of 2024 from Europe's Spaceport took place on Thursday 5 December. The VV25 mission placed its payload, the Sentinel-1C satellite, in sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of around 700 km. Orbit insertion took place 1 hour and 43 minutes after lift-off.

The VV25 mission marked the return to flight of the Vega-C launcher, following the failure of its second flight, VV22, on 20 December 2022.
 

The Sentinel-1C satellite is part of the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation programme. This system, the most powerful in the world, provides permanent, independent and reliable Earth observation data and services for public authorities, businesses and citizens worldwide. Managed by the European Commission, this programme is funded by the European Union with a contribution from ESA.

Comprising two satellites in polar orbit, the Sentinel-1 mission continually provides images of the oceans and land above sea level, day and night, and in all weather. Their C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the advantage of operating in wavelengths that are not affected by clouds or darkness. Compatible with a wide range of applications, Sentinel-1’s SAR imagery is the optimal way to detect subsidence and structural damage: systematic observations and ultra-precise interferometric capabilities mean that even the tiniest ground movements can be detected and monitored on a daily basis.

As well as constituting a valuable source of information for urban planners, this system is essential for monitoring the consequences of earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity. By facilitating subsidence risk assessments, it also assists geohazard management, mining, geological surveys and urban planning.