Colleferro (Rome), 1st July 2020 – Vega VV16 flight operations have been interrupted by Arianespace due to the presence of exceptionally unfavorable high altitude easterly winds. The Vega launcher has been available and flightworthy since June 18 on the launchpad but did not receive a green light from the safety authority since then. Two launch chronology attempts were made during the past week but unfortunately interrupted shortly before lift-off due to conditions exceeding the allowable limits.

As winds at altitude above the Guiana Space Center remain unfavorable, the final chronology operations for Vega’s Flight VV16 mission have been suspended.

The Vega launcher and the 53 satellites on board are in a stabilized configuration, and in total safety.

As high-altitude winds above the Guiana Space Center remain unfavorable, Arianespace has taken the decision not to initiate the final chronology operations for Flight VV16 on Sunday June 87, 2020.

Subject to a favorable evolution of the weather conditions, another attempt will be made on Monday June 29.

The Vega launch vehicle and its 53 spacecraft payloads are in stable and safe conditions.

Today’s predicted meteorological conditions over the Guiana Space Center enable the consideration of resuming chronological operations for the 16th Vega Flight (VV16) launch.

Subject to confirmation of favorable conditions, the new targeted liftoff timing for the SSMS PoC flight is Saturday, June 27 at precisely:

> 9:51:10 p.m., Washington, D.C. time

> 10:51:10 p.m., Kourou, French Guiana time

> 01:51:10 a.m., Universal Time (UTC), on June 28

> 3:51:10 a.m., Paris & Rome time, on June 28.

As high-altitude winds above the Guiana Space Center remain unfavorable, Arianespace has taken the decision not to initiate the final chronology operations for Flight VV16 on Saturday, June 20, 2020.

A new target date will be announced as soon as possible, based on the evolution of weather conditions.

The Vega launch vehicle and its 53 spacecraft payloads are in stable and safe conditions.

Due to currently unfavorable wind conditions at altitude above the Guiana Space Center, Arianespace has decided not to initiate the final phase of launch preparation operations.

Subject to favorable weather conditions, the soonest possible launch date for the SSMS PoC Flight is Saturday, June 20 at:

Save the date: on June 19th Vega takes off again... keep your eyes on the sky and make space for your dreams!

THE SPACEPORT IN KOUROU RESUMES THE OPERATIONS FOR THE FLIGHT OF THE ROCKET THAT WILL BRING 52 SATELLITES INTO ORBIT THANKS TO SSMS

Colleferro (Rome) 29 April 2020 – Avio informs that CNES (the French Space Agency) and Arianespace have communicated today the gradual re-opening of the Guiana Space Center, starting from the 11 of May. The space center in Kourou had been closed at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 16 of March 2020. At that point the operations for the 16th launch of Vega, scheduled by the end of the same month, had been freezed while the launcher and the satellites on board had been secured.

JCSAT-17 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B satellites correctly orbited