28.10.2016
Vega and GÖKTÜRK-1A are present for Arianespace’s next lightweight mission from the Spaceport
Vega’s P80 first stage is transferred from the zone where solid propellant stages are prepared at the Spaceport (photo at left) to the SLV launch zone (photos center, and at right). Scheduled for liftoff in December, Vega will orbit Turkey’s GÖKTÜRK-1A satellite.
Preparations are now underway for Arianespace’s next flight with its lightweight Vega, set for December 5, with the launcher taking shape at the Spaceport and the mission’s GÖKTÜRK-1A payload for Turkey delivered to French Guiana.
The launch vehicle build-up process began with Vega’s P80 first stage rollout from the zone where solid propellant stages are prepared at the Spaceport. Riding atop a heavy-duty transporter, the P80 was transferred to the SLV launch site, marking the first step in Vega’s assembly process.
Vega’s P80 is one of the largest, most powerful one-piece solid-fuel stages ever built. Sized at just under 11 meters tall, this propulsion system has a 3-meter diameter and weighs in at approximately 95 tons.
Vega’s first and second stages on the launch pad
Vega’s Zefiro 23 second stage is moved into the Spaceport’s SLV launch zone, where it will be readied for mating with the vehicle’s P80 first stage.
With the P80 installed and checked out, it has been joined on the launch pad by Vega’s Zefiro 23 second stage. Transferred on a flatbed truck, the 26-ton solid propellant Zefiro 23 stage is 7.5 meters tall and has a diameter of approximately 1.9 meters
The four-stage Vega serves as the lightweight vehicle in Arianespace’s launcher family operated from French Guiana. Vega is a European Space Agency (ESA) program, jointly funded by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. Avio is the launcher design authority and industrial prime contractor, operating through its Italian subsidiary ELV (in which the Italian space agency ASI has a 30 percent stake).
Since beginning operation at the Spaceport in 2012, all of Vega’s previous seven flights have been successful, demonstrating the launcher’s capabilities in a variety of mission scenarios.
Göktürk-1A touches down in French Guiana
Vega’s payload on the December mission – designated VV08 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system – is the Göktürk-1A observation satellite, managed within the scope of a turnkey contract with Telespazio as prime contractor for the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries of Turkey.
The protective container with GÖKTÜRK-1A is unloaded from an Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner after its arrival at Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana.
The spacecraft was delivered yesterday to French Guiana, arriving aboard a chartered Antonov An-124 cargo jetliner at Félix Eboué Airport near the French Guiana capital city of Cayenne. The protective container with Göktürk-1A was unloaded from the four-engine aircraft and readied for its transfer by road to the Spaceport.
Equipped with a high resolution optical instrument, Göktürk-1A has an unfueled mass of approximately 1,070 kg. and will operate from Sun-synchronous orbit.
Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the satellite, joined by Turkish partners that include Tai A.S., Aselsan A.S., Tubitak, Uekae, Roketsan A.S. and TR Tecnoloji.
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 17.11.2016
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Vega is readied to receive its GÖKTÜRK-1A passenger for a December Arianespace launch
The lightweight member of Arianespace’s launcher family has completed its basic assembly at the Spaceport in French Guiana, with this four-stage Vega vehicle now being readied for the mission’s payload: the GÖKTÜRK-1A observation satellite for Turkey.
The AVUM (Attitude and Vernier Upper Module) upper stage is hoisted up the mobile gantry for installation atop Vega at the Spaceport’s SLV launch site.
During the build-up process, Vega was integrated at the Spaceport’s SLV launch site, bringing together the solid propellant P80 first stage, Zefiro 23 second stage and Zefiro 9 third stage; followed by the liquid bipropellant fourth stage, called the AVUM (Attitude and Vernier Upper Module).
As the smallest vehicle in Arianespace’s launcher family operated from French Guiana, Vega complements the company’s medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 in offering a full range of launch service capabilities.
The eighth Vega mission from French Guiana
Vega is a European Space Agency (ESA) program, jointly funded by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. The launcher design authority and industrial prime contractor is Italy’s Avio, operating through its Italian subsidiary ELV (in which the Italian space agency ASI has a 30 percent stake).
GÖKTÜRK-1A is fueled in the S5 payload processing facility as part of preparations for its December launch on Vega.
For Vega’s December 5 mission, its GÖKTÜRK-1A passenger will be deployed for operation in Sun-synchronous orbit – providing Earth observation services with a high-resolution optical instrument.
The satellite was developed within the scope of a turnkey contract with Telespazio as prime contractor for the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries of Turkey. Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the satellite, joined by Turkish partners that include Tai A.S., Aselsan A.S., Tubitak, Uekae, Roketsan A.S. and TR Tecnoloji.
As part of the pre-launch operations, GÖKTÜRK-1A has been fueled in the S5B hall of the Spaceport’s S5 payload processing facility.
Arianespace’s launch of GÖKTÜRK-1A is designated Flight VV08 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, signifying the eighth mission with Vega since its maiden liftoff in 2012.
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 25.11.2016
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GÖKTÜRK-1 moves to the Vega launch zone for Arianespace Flight VV08
Encapsulated in its protective payload fairing, GÖKTÜRK-1 is hoisted to the upper level of the Vega launch site’s mobile gantry, readying it for installation atop the launcher.
Preparations for Arianespace’s latest mission at the service of Earth observation are entering their final phase, with the GÖKTÜRK-1 optical satellite now transferred to the launch zone for integration on its lightweight Vega launcher.
During activity in French Guiana yesterday, GÖKTÜRK-1 was moved by a special transporter vehicle to the Spaceport’s SLV launch site. The spacecraft – which previously had been encapsulated in a protective payload fairing – was then hoisted to the upper level of the launch site’s mobile gantry, positioning it for installation atop the four-stage Vega launcher.
Liftoff of the Vega with GÖKTÜRK-1 is set for the morning of December 5, local time in French Guiana. This mission is designated Flight VV08 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, signifying the eighth liftoff of Vega since the vehicle began operation from the Spaceport in 2012.
Vega: developed by Europe
Vega is the smallest vehicle in Arianespace’s launcher family operated from French Guiana, complementing the company’s medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 in an offer covering a full range of launch services capabilities.
It has been developed in a European Space Agency (ESA) program jointly funded by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. The launch vehicle design authority and industrial prime contractor is Italy’s Avio, operating through its Italian subsidiary ELV (in which the Italian space agency ASI has a 30 percent stake).
For the upcoming mission, Vega will deploy the GÖKTÜRK-1 satellite passenger during a flight lasting just under one hour.
Turkey’s first governmental Earth observation satellite
GÖKTÜRK-1 is the first Turkish governmental satellite for Earth observation, and its very high-resolution images are intended for both civilian and military applications. When launched by Vega, the spacecraft will be injected into a Sun-synchronous orbit.
Telespazio is prime contractor of the GÖKTÜRK-1 program under terms of an agreement signed with the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries of Turkey.
Thales Alenia Space, along with Turkish partners, built GÖKTÜRK-1 based on the PROTEUS spacecraft platform.
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 1.12.2016
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The Vega launcher is complete for next week’s Arianespace mission with GÖKTÜRK-1
The eighth Vega lightweight launcher to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana has been fully assembled and “topped off” with the GÖKTÜRK-1 optical satellite payload, readying it for Arianespace’s mission to Sun-synchronous orbit on December 5.
Designated Flight VV08 in Arianespace’s numbering system, this Vega launch is to deploy GÖKTÜRK-1 during a mission lasting just under two hours.
With Vega now in full commercial operation, Flight VV08 will mark the vehicle’s fifth launch at the service of Earth observation.
High-resolution imaging for Turkey
GÖKTÜRK-1 is installed atop its Vega launcher inside the protective gantry at the Spaceport’s SLV launch site.
GÖKTÜRK-1 has been built as Turkey’s first governmental satellite for Earth observation, providing very high-resolution images for both civilian and military applications.
Telespazio is prime contractor of the GÖKTÜRK-1 program under terms of an agreement signed with the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) of Turkey. SSM is the 55th operator to select Arianespace for the launch of its initial satellite.
Thales Alenia Space and its Turkish partners – including the companies TAI A.S., Aselsan A.S., Tubitak Bilgem, Roketsan A.S. and TR Tecnoloji – built GÖKTÜRK-1 based on the PROTEUS spacecraft platform.
A morning liftoff for Vega
Liftoff of Vega from the Spaceport’s SLV launch site is set at exactly 10:51:44 a.m., local time in French Guiana on December 5 (13:51:44, Universal Time), with the launcher carrying a total payload of approximately 1,140 kg.
This latest Vega mission underscores the capabilities of Arianespace’s lightweight member in its launcher family operated from French Guiana – complementing the medium-lift Soyuz and heavyweight Ariane 5 in an offer that covers a full range of launch services capabilities.
Vega was developed in a European Space Agency (ESA) program jointly funded by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. Design authority and industrial prime contractor for the launch vehicle is Italy’s Avio, operating through its Italian subsidiary ELV (in which the Italian space agency ASI has a 30 percent stake).
Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 3.12.2016
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ARIANESPACE LAUNCH VV08: VEGA – GÖKTÜRK-1
For its 10th launch of the year – and the eighth to be performed by the Vega launcher since its first liftoff from the Guiana Space Center in 2012 – Arianespace will orbit the GÖKTÜRK-1 satellite in the framework of a Telespazio turnkey contract with the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries of Turkey (SSM).
As a multi-purpose launch vehicle that already has demonstrated its capabilities during the seven initial missions, Vega is now fully operational in commercial service – and will be performing its fifth flight at the service of Earth observation. With Flight VV08, Turkey becomes a new export customer for this latest member of Arianespace’s launcher family.
The liftoff will be from the Vega Launch Complex (SLV) in Kourou, French Guiana (South America).
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Liftoff is scheduled for Monday, December 5, 2016, at exactly: - 08:51:44 a.m., Washington D.C. time
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Quelle: arianespace
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Update: 5.12.2016 / 9.00 MEZ
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Vega is cleared for liftoff on Arianespace’s Dec. 5 mission with GÖKTÜRK-1
Arianespace’s upcoming Vega flight with the GÖKTÜRK-1 optical satellite has been approved for liftoff on December 5 from the Spaceport in French Guiana.
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Start von Vega-VV08 mit GÖKTÜRK-1A Satelliten
Frams: arianespace-tv
Quelle: arianespace