ArianespaceLaunch SuccessfulEarth Science

Biomass

Name: Vega-C | Biomass
Start: 2025-04-29T09:15:52Z
Location: Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Vega-C

Launched Tue, Apr 29 · 9:15:52 AM UTC2025-04-29 09:15:52 UTCAriane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Reached orbit

Follow Arianespace in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Sun-Synchronous Orbit

The second stage released the payload at T+57:00.

Worldwide

92nd

orbital launch attempt in 2025

Arianespace

2nd

launch this year

Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)

1st

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

144 d 11 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: Flight VV26 | Biomass | Vega C | Arianespace

The Flight Plan

Planned times, from liftoff at 9:15 AM UTC. The result is at the top of the page.

Ascent9

T+0:009:15 AMFirst upwards movement of the rocket
T+2:259:18 AMSeparation of the second stage from the first
T+4:319:20 AMSeparation of the third stage from the second
T+4:439:20 AMSeparation of the payload fairing
T+7:109:23 AMSeparation of the kick stage from the previous stage
T+8:009:23 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.
T+53:0010:08 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.
T+57:0010:12 AMFinal deployment of the payload from the rocket
T+1:46:0011:01 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.

Mission

Biomass is an European Space Agency mission designed to measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests. The spacecraft, built by Airbus Defence and Space, features the first civilian P-band synthetic aperture radar as well as a 12m-diameter deployable reflector from L3Harris made of over 900 km of gold-coated molybdenum 25µm wire. With a minimum operational lifetime of 5 years in its 666km 6am/6pm sun-synchronous orbit, the global coverage achieved every 9 months allows to precisely monitor the evolution of forests over time.

Launch Provider

Arianespace

Commercial · France · Founded 1980 · CEO David Cavaillolès

Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.

Launches

328

Successful

313

95%

Upcoming

scheduled

FliesAriane Vega

All Arianespace launches Website Wikipedia

Updates

Apr 29 · 10:45 AM
Spacecraft confirmed operational.
Cosmic_Penguin
Apr 29 · 10:25 AM
Biomass deployed.
hitura-nobad
Apr 29 · 9:16 AM
Liftoff
hitura-nobad
Apr 29 · 9:04 AM
Tweaked T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin
Apr 29 · 8:53 AM
Official Webcast by arianespace has started
Launch Library 2

Show earlier updates

Mar 25 · 9:48 AM
GO for launch.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 3 · 9:14 AM
NET early April.
Cosmic_Penguin
Mar 27 · 10:48 AM
Targeting March 2025
Nosu
Dec 5 · 2:40 PM
Launcher swapped with one for Sentinel-2C in summer 2023.
Cosmic_Penguin
Oct 2 · 11:26 AM
NET Q2 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin
Jul 10 · 1:56 PM
NET April 2024
Cosmic_Penguin
Nov 7 · 10:53 AM
NET 2024
Nosu
Nov 7 · 10:53 AM
NET 2024
Nosu

Vega-C

Vehicle history

Height

34.8m

Diameter

To low Earth orbit

3,300kg

Liftoff thrust

2,974kN

Space Launch Now for iOS and Android

Notifications before every launch you follow, live countdowns on your home screen and watch, and webcasts as they start.

See what's in the app

Scan to open on your phone

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ArianespaceLaunch SuccessfulEarth Science

Biomass

Vega-C

Launched Tue, Apr 29 · 9:15:52 AM UTC2025-04-29 09:15:52 UTCAriane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Reached orbit

Follow Arianespace in the app Watch the replay

Success

Reached Sun-Synchronous Orbit

The second stage released the payload at T+57:00.

Worldwide

92nd

orbital launch attempt in 2025

Arianespace

2nd

launch this year

Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)

1st

launch from this pad this year

Pad turnaround

144 d 11 h

since the pad's previous launch

Replay

Replay: Flight VV26 | Biomass | Vega C | Arianespace

The Flight Plan

Planned times, from liftoff at 9:15 AM UTC. The result is at the top of the page.

Ascent9

T+0:009:15 AMFirst upwards movement of the rocket
T+2:259:18 AMSeparation of the second stage from the first
T+4:319:20 AMSeparation of the third stage from the second
T+4:439:20 AMSeparation of the payload fairing
T+7:109:23 AMSeparation of the kick stage from the previous stage
T+8:009:23 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.
T+53:0010:08 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.
T+57:0010:12 AMFinal deployment of the payload from the rocket
T+1:46:0011:01 AMThe kick stage conducts an engine burn in orbit.

Mission

Launch Provider

Arianespace

Commercial · France · Founded 1980 · CEO David Cavaillolès

Launches

328

Successful

313

95%

Upcoming

scheduled

FliesAriane Vega

All Arianespace launches Website Wikipedia

Updates

Apr 29 · 10:45 AM
Spacecraft confirmed operational.
Cosmic_Penguin
Apr 29 · 10:25 AM
Biomass deployed.
hitura-nobad
Apr 29 · 9:16 AM
Liftoff
hitura-nobad
Apr 29 · 9:04 AM
Tweaked T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin
Apr 29 · 8:53 AM
Official Webcast by arianespace has started
Launch Library 2

Show earlier updates

Mar 25 · 9:48 AM
GO for launch.
Cosmic_Penguin
Feb 3 · 9:14 AM
NET early April.
Cosmic_Penguin
Mar 27 · 10:48 AM
Targeting March 2025
Nosu
Dec 5 · 2:40 PM
Launcher swapped with one for Sentinel-2C in summer 2023.
Cosmic_Penguin
Oct 2 · 11:26 AM
NET Q2 2024.
Cosmic_Penguin
Jul 10 · 1:56 PM
NET April 2024
Cosmic_Penguin
Nov 7 · 10:53 AM
NET 2024
Nosu
Nov 7 · 10:53 AM
NET 2024
Nosu

Vega-C

Vehicle history

Height

34.8m

Diameter

To low Earth orbit

3,300kg

Liftoff thrust

2,974kN

Next From Guiana Space Centre

Guiana Space Centre schedule

Nov23Mon

Amazon Leo (LE-04)Arianespace · Ariane 64 Block 2 · Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaLow Earth OrbitTo be determinedTime TBD Dec—NET

Metop-SG B1Arianespace · Ariane 62 · Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaSun-Synchronous OrbitTo be determinedNET December

Space Launch Now for iOS and Android

Notifications before every launch you follow, live countdowns on your home screen and watch, and webcasts as they start.

See what's in the app

Scan to open on your phone

Biomass

Replay

The Flight Plan

Ascent9

Mission

Arianespace

Updates

Vega-C

Never Miss a Launch.

Biomass

Replay

The Flight Plan

Ascent9

Mission

Arianespace

Updates

Vega-C

Next From Guiana Space Centre

Never Miss a Launch.

Next From Guiana Space Centre