FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C have been sealed within the protective fairing of a Vega-C rocket at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The encapsulation marks a significant transition in the launch campaign after more than six weeks of preparations. Liftoff is scheduled for September 15 at 03:21 CEST.
FLEX was first positioned in the lower part of the Vespa secondary payload adapter, a system that allows the rocket to carry multiple satellites on a single launch. Sentinel-3C was then attached to the upper part of Vespa, a positioning that allows it to be deployed first during the mission.
The fairing forms a protective shell around both satellites, shielding them from acoustic noise, vibrations and aerodynamic forces during launch and ascent through Earth's atmosphere. FLEX, the Fluorescence Explorer, is designed to detect the faint fluorescence emitted by plants during photosynthesis and will produce global maps of vegetation fluorescence at a resolution of 300 by 300 metres. The measurements will provide information about photosynthetic activity and vegetation stress worldwide.
Copernicus Sentinel-3C is the third satellite in the Sentinel-3 series and will continue systematic monitoring of Earth's oceans, land, ice and atmosphere. Its instruments will measure sea-surface temperature, ocean colour, sea level and sea-ice characteristics, and will also support monitoring of vegetation, wildfires and changes in the height of inland waters and ice sheets.
The Vega-C rocket can carry 2,300 kilograms into orbit and weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad. It is launched by Avio, which acts as prime contractor and launch service operator for the European Space Agency-led programme.
