Maiden flight of Europe's upgraded Vega-C rocket (VV21), carrying Italy's LARES-2 laser-ranging satellite to test Einstein's frame-dragging effect plus six research cubesats from France, Italy and Slovenia. Lifted off from French Guiana; LARES-2 reached its target orbit successfully.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- MEO
- Medium Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 314 kg
- Flight
- 1st
- of 8 Vega-C flights
- Date and time
- 13 July 2022, 13:13 UTC
- Rocket
- Vega-C
- Builder
- Avio
- Launch site
- Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
- Payload
- Earth Science
- International designator
- 2022-080
- Launches in 2022
- 83rd of 186
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas