On 23 June, a Vega launcher will loft the first of ESA’s dual Sentinel-2 satellites into orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou. For the mission control team, liftoff will mark the end of many months of careful preparations and the start of the mission’s first critical phase.
For the mission control team, liftoff will mark the end of many months of careful preparations and the start of the mission’s first critical phase.
The VV05 Vega fairing holding the Sentinel-2A satellite in the launch gantry at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA–M. Pédoussaut
At 1:51:58 GMT (3:51:58 CEST) next Tuesday morning, ESA’s Sentinel-2A satellite is set to launch from Kourou on a 30-m tall Vega rocket for a raucous ride into space on a mission dedicated to Europe’s Copernicus environmental monitoring programme.
About 55 minutes after lift-off, the Sentinel-2A satellite will separate from Vega’s AVUM upper stage and soar free into orbit, marking the start of the approximately three-day long LEOP – the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase.
Upon separation, Sentinel-2A will automatically activate its solar array and transmitter, orient itself into an Earth-pointing mode, and start transmitting ‘telemetry’ – onboard status signals – to the ground.
Flight dynamics at ESA. Credit: ESA/J. Mai
In Darmstadt, Germany, the mission control team at ESA’s space operations centre will have followed the liftoff intently, waiting for ESA’s ground station in Perth, Australia, to receive the first radio signals from space. The critical acquisition of first signals (AOS) is expected about 55 minutes after launch.
Once contact has been established, the team will assume control of the new spacecraft, working around the clock to activate crucial onboard systems and ensure the spacecraft’s health in the extreme environment of space.
The first orbital manoeuvre – a burn using the spacecraft’s thrusters – is planned around 51 hours into the mission.
Watch live
The lift off will be streamed live via two separate programmes on Tuesday.
- Sentinel-2 launch event live from the ESOC operations centre, 01:00 GMT (03:00 CEST) start
- Launch webcast live from Kourou, 01:30 GMT (03:30 CEST) start
19 June at Kourou: Launch rehearsal review (RAL) – decision for VV05 flight
19 June at ESOC: Final ‘dress rehearsal’ for Mission Control Team
Timeline below is forecast only and all times are subject to change. See abbreviations at bottom of page.
22/23 June 2015
| MET | UTC | CEST | VV05 | S2A/ESOC | Tracking stations |
| 08:00:00 | 17:51:58 | 19:51:58 | Start of launcher activities on launch pad in Kourou | B-Section of Mission Control Team on console in ESOC MCR; start of pre-launch activities in MCR | |
| 07:45:00 | 18:06:58 | 20:06:58 | Start of Vega countdown | ||
| 07:40:00 | 18:11:58 | 20:11:58 | Establish data link from spacecraft to ESOC via umbilical cable | ||
| 07:00:00 | 18:51:58 | 20:51:58 | Start of spacecraft switch on; check telemetry flow between spacecraft and ESOC | ||
| 06:51:00 | 19:00:58 | 21:00:58 | Synchronization of on-board clock with Universal Time (UTC) | ||
| 06:30:00 | 19:21:58 | 21:21:58 | Activation of on-board computer and loading of flight program; Activation of telemetry transmitters | ||
| 06:00:00 | 19:51:58 | 21:51:58 | Start of ESOC network countdown – team now conducts periodic spacecraft health checks | All ground stations – start of dedicated S2A support | |
| 05:45:00 | 20:06:58 | 22:06:58 | Mobile gantry door opening | ||
| 05:40:00 | 20:11:58 | 22:11:58 | Activation of Multi Function Unit – MFU controls the launcher’s critical systems (incl power distribution & pyrotechnics) | ||
| 05:30:00 | 20:21:58 | 22:21:58 | Activation of Inertial Reference System – IRS provides inertial navigation data to all subsystems | ||
| 03:00:00 | 22:51:58 | 00:51:58 | Mission Control Team starts to configure spacecraft for launch | ||
| 03:10:00 | 22:41:58 | 00:41:58 | Mobile gantry withdrawal (ca 45 min) | ||
| 02:20:00 | 23:31:58 | 01:31:58 | ESOC FD confirms to Kourou LCC ground segment ready for launch | ||
| 02:16:00 | 23:35:58 | 01:35:58 | Mission Control System at ESOC switched to launch configuration | ||
| 02:00:00 | 23:51:58 | 01:51:58 | A-Section of Mission Control Team on console in ESOC MCR | ||
| 01:55:00 | 23:56:58 | 01:56:58 | Activation of IRS (after withdrawal of gantry) | ||
| 01:30:00 | 00:21:58 | 02:21:58 | Initial GO/NOGO roll call at ESOC | ||
| 01:20:00 | 00:31:58 | 02:31:58 | Activation of telemetry transmitters (after withdrawal of gantry) | ||
| 01:20:00 | 00:31:58 | 02:31:58 | Activation of transponders | ||
| 01:05:00 | 00:46:58 | 02:46:58 | ESOC FD confirms GO status with all ground stations | Kiruna, Svalbard, Troll, Alaska, Perth | |
| 00:52:00 | 00:59:58 | 02:59:58 | Final GO/NOGO roll call at ESOC | ||
| 00:45:00 | 01:06:58 | 03:06:58 | ESOC FD confirms GREEN for launch to Kourou LCC | ||
| 00:34:00 | 01:17:58 | 03:17:58 | Launcher system ready | ||
| 00:10:00 | 01:41:58 | 03:41:58 | Last weather report prior to launch | Sentinel-2 on internal power | |
| 00:04:00 | 01:47:58 | 03:47:58 | Start of Vega synchronized sequence | ||
| 00:00:30 | 01:51:28 | 03:51:28 | Activation of automatic sequence | ||
| 00:00:08 | 01:51:50 | 03:51:50 | Last possible launch abort | ||
| 00:00:00 | 01:51:58 | 03:51:58 | P80 IGNITION | ||
| 00:00:01 | 01:51:59 | 03:51:59 | LIFT OFF | ||
| 00:01:52 | 01:53:50 | 03:53:50 | Separation of first stage (P80) | ||
| 00:03:37 | 01:55:35 | 03:55:35 | Separation of second stage (Zefiro-23) | ||
| 00:03:54 | 01:55:52 | 03:55:52 | Jettisoning of fairing | ||
| 00:06:31 | 01:58:29 | 03:58:29 | Separation of third stage (Zefiro-9) | ||
| 00:07:42 | 01:59:40 | 03:59:40 | AVUM first burn | ||
| 00:16:08 | 02:08:06 | 04:08:06 | AVUM shutdown | ||
| 00:30:32 | 02:22:30 | 04:22:30 | Perth station ready for AOS | ||
| 00:38:44 | 02:30:42 | 04:30:42 | Troll station ready for AOS | ||
| 00:51:46 | 02:43:44 | 04:43:44 | AVUM second burn | ||
| 00:53:52 | 02:45:50 | 04:45:50 | AVUM second shutdown | ||
| 00:50:29 | 02:42:27 | 04:42:27 | Earliest AOS Vega | PER AOS VEGA | |
| 00:54:43 | 02:46:41 | 04:46:41 | SEPARATION | S2 separates from AVUM upper stage | |
| 00:55:20 | 02:47:18 | 04:47:18 | AOS (Earliest) – Acquisition of signals from S2 Start on-board status & health checks |
PER AOS S2A | |
| 01:04:55 | 02:56:53 | 04:56:53 | Earliest possible solar array deployment (ca. 3 min) | LOS Perth | |
| 01:10:31 | 03:02:29 | 05:02:29 | AOS Troll | ||
| 01:23:09 | 03:15:07 | 05:15:07 | Latest expected solar array deployment complete | LOS Troll | |
| 01:43:35 | 03:35:33 | 05:35:33 | AVUM third burn | ||
| 01:44:04 | 03:36:02 | 05:36:02 | AVUM shutdown | ||
| 01:56:27 | 03:48:25 | 05:48:25 | AOS Alaska | ||
| 01:59:59 | 03:51:57 | 05:51:57 | AOS Svalbard |
LCC – Launcher Control Centre (Jupiter Control Room, Kourou, French Guyana)
ESOC- European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany
MCR – Main Control Room at ESOC
PER – Perth tracking station, Australia
FD – ESA Flight Director in Main Control Room
VV05 – Vega launcher flight VV05
MET – Mission Elapsed Time (before/after liftoff times are -/+)
S2 – Sentinel-2A spacecraft
AOS – Acquisition of signal
LOS – Loss of signal
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