Launch News VV11: Vega to Launch Morocco's MOHAMMED VI–A/EO SAT-1 (November 8, 01:42:30 UTC)

Nicholas Kang · Nov 3, 2017

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Flight VV11: Vega to launch an Earth observation satellite for the Kingdom of Morocco

For its 10th launch of the year, and the 11th Vega mission since this launcher began its career at the Guiana Space Center in 2012, Arianespace will orbit the MOHAMMED VI – A satellite. This Earth observation satellite for the Kingdom of Morocco was developed by a consortium comprising Thales Alenia Space as system prime contractor and Airbus as co-prime.

Flight VV11 marks the eighth Earth observation mission for Vega, a versatile light launcher.

Payload

The MOHAMMED VI – A satellite is an Earth observation satellite built for the Kingdom of Morocco by Thales Alenia Space as system prime contractor and Airbus as co-prime.

The MOHAMMED VI – A satellite will be in particular used for mapping and land surveying activities, regional development, agricultural monitoring, the prevention and management of natural disasters, monitoring changes in the environment and desertification, as well as border and coastal surveillance.

A three-axis stabilized satellite, the MOHAMMED VI – A satellite will weigh approximately 1,110 kg. at launch.

Thales Alenia Space, as system prime contractor, supplied the payload, including the optical instrument, the image transmission subsystem, and the ground segment for image processing and production. Airbus, as satellite prime contractor, was in charge of its integration, as well as supplying the platform and the ground segment for mission planning and satellite control.

The MOHAMMED VI – A satellite is the 150th satellite built by Thales Alenia Space to be launched by Arianespace, which has 15 more satellites from this manufacturer in its order book.

Launch Profile/Ascent Timeline

TIME | EVENTS
T- 09H 10MN|Start of final countdown
T- 06H|Activation of Multi-Functional Unit (MFU)
T- 05H 40MN|Activation of Inertial Reference System (IRS)
T- 05H 40MN|Activation of telemetry
T- 05H 10MN|Activation of Safeguard Master Unit (SMU)
T- 04H 50MN|Removal of safety devices
T- 04H 40MN|Activation of onboard computer and loading of flight program
T- 04H 30MN|IRS alignment and checks
T- 03H 15MN|Mobile gantry withdrawal (45 min.)
T- 02H 25MN|IRS alignment and checks after withdrawal of gantry
T- 01H 15MN|Activation of the telemetry transmitter after withdrawal of gantry
T- 01H 15MN|Activation of transponders and receptors
T- 00H 50MN|Launcher system ready
T- 00H 10MN|Final weather report prior to launch
T- 00H 4MN|Start of synchronized sequence
LIFTOFF|00:00
T+ 00H 1MN 57S|1st stage (P80) separation
T+ 00H 1MN 57S|2nd stage (Zefiro-23) ignition
T+ 00H 3MN 40S|2nd stage (Zefiro-23) separation
T+ 00H 3MN 52S|3rd stage (Zefiro-9) ignition
T+ 00H 3MN 57S|Fairing separation
T+ 00H 6MN 34S|3rd stage (Zefiro-9) separation
T+ 00H 8MN 3S|1st ignition of AVUM
T+ 00H 15MN 48S|1st cut-off of AVUM
T+ 00H 52MN 6S|2nd ignition of AVUM
T+ 00H 53MN 57S|2nd cut-off of AVUM
T+ 00H 55MN 33S|Separation of the MOHAMMED VI - A satellite
T+ 00H 47MN 44S|3rd ignition of AVUM
T+ 00H 49MN 2S|3rd cut-off of AVUM

Gallery

Vega rocket stages arrival at CSG.