EOLaunch

Sentinel-1B replacement secures a ride

ESA will launch Sentinel-1C aboard Avio-built Vega-C which is set to debut later this year.

ESA has contracted Arianespace to launch the EU’s Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite aboard an Avio-built Vega-C rocket.

Sentinel-1C is expected to take over the duties from Sentinel-1B, which suffered an anomaly in December.

  • In January, ESA officials said that recovery efforts had failed.
  • By late February, they identified a 28V power-regulated bus as the root cause.

With the failure of Sentinel-1B, ESA had been looking at options to get Sentinel-1C into orbit as soon as possible. This latest announcement may represent a slightly accelerated timeline.

  • As of March, Sentinel-1C was scheduled to be launched in mid-2023.
  • With this recent announcement, the satellite is set to join the still operational Sentinel-1A in the first half of 2023.
  • Specific launch dates will likely be forthcoming following the maiden flight of Vega-C

Testing performance limits: Sentinel-1C weighs in at 2,300kgs and will be placed in SSO at an altitude of around 690kms. According to ESA, Vega-C is designed to be capable of delivering 2,200kgs to a 700 km polar orbit.

Still to come this year: Vega-C is slated to make its debut in June, carrying the passive LARES-2 satellite for the Italian Space Agency. Six small satellites will also be hitching a ride aboard the flight.

Related Stories
Launch

Delta IV Heavy Bids Farewell

ULA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket is preparing to hang up its engines after two decades of spaceflight.

EO

Inside Spire’s Lucrative AI Partnership with Nvidia

Payload spoke to Mike Eilts, a meteorologist and Spire’s general manager for weather and climate, about the deal and predicting weather from space.

EO

The Big Questions About Starshield, SpaceX’s Classified EO Project

SpaceX’s move into EO could present a big challenge to companies selling space data already.

EO

ICEYE Unveils Ocean Vision Product Line

Finnish SAR company ICEYE announced a new family of products today that will use its existing satellite constellation to help customers locate, track, and characterize assets at sea.