The European Space Agency’s (ESA) heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6, successfully launched tonight from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The mission sent an advanced weather and climate satellite, Metop-SGA1, into orbit.
Ariane 6, operated by Arianespace on behalf of the ESA, lifted off at 8:37 p.m. EDT and reached its destination about 64 minutes later. Metop-SGA1 will operate in a polar orbit, approximately 500 miles above Earth, using six onboard instruments to gather weather and climate data.
The satellite is expected to last for 7.5 years and provide high-resolution observations of various parameters such as temperature, precipitation, clouds, and sea ice. The ESA describes this mission as a significant advancement in global weather observation, allowing for more precise monitoring of the Earth’s climate.
This launch marks the third time Ariane 6 has been used for a commercial mission, following successful test flights in July 2024 and March this year. Arianespace currently operates two rockets: the Ariane 6 and the Vega C.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/europe-ariane-6-rocket-third-launch-metop-sga1