Blasting off in a tropical downpour, Europe's second Vega rocket streaked into space from the Amazon jungle on Monday, skillfully deploying three satellites on missions to map Earth's vegetation and peer down at cities, oceans and forests.

The 98-foot-tall rocket lit its solid-fueled first stage motor and raced off the launch pad at the Guiana Space Center at 0206:31 GMT Tuesday (10:06:31 p.m. EDT Monday), pushing a crackling roar across the jungle spaceport as the launcher rapidly faded from view as steady rain fell on the space base.

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The Vega's AVUM upper stage completed a fifth burn as scheduled to put the vehicle on a trajectory to re-enter the atmosphere, according to a spokesperson at the Guiana Space Center.

Post-launch remarks from Antonio Fabrizi, ESA's director of launchers, on the Vega industrial team: "They have built a beautiful product that works perfectly, provides excellent performance, and allows us to look ahead with confidence to the future."

ESTCube 1 separation! The tiny CubeSat is Estonia's first satellite, and it will test new space propulsion techniques.

VNREDSat 1 separation! The 254-pound spacecraft, built by Astrium Satellites, is beginning a five-year mission to collect high-resolution images of Earth for the Vietnamese government.

The AVUM engine has shut down as planned after placing VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube in a near-circular orbit. The target orbit called for an altitude of 413 miles an an inclination of 98.13 degrees.

Separation of VNREDSat 1, Vietnam's first Earth observation satellite, is expected at 0403 GMT (12:03 a.m. EDT). Three minutes later, Estonia's first satellite will be released in orbit.

The fourth stage engine is now firing.

The separation of the Vespa adapter has been confirmed via communications through a tracking station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The AVUM engine will ignite in a few minutes for a 65-second burn.

The last phase of tonight's mission begins shortly with separation of the Vespa adapter, ignition of the AVUM engine for the fourth time, and deployment of VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube 1.

The Vega upper stage, or AVUM, is flying over Antarctica now. It will soon traverse South America ahead of the next engine firing.

The brief 22-second third burn of the AVUM engine has been completed, beginning another lengthy coast through space before a fourth firing will position the VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube 1 satellites in the correct orbit.

The next major event is the jettison of the upper half of the Vespa dual-payload adapter at 0357 GMT (11:57 p.m. EDT), exposing the two remaining spacecraft for separation.

T+plus 59 minutes. The third burn of the Vega fourth stage begins in about five minutes, and the rocket is re-orienting for the engine firing as it flies 833 kilometers over the Southern Ocean.

Proba-V separation! The 304-pound satellite has been released from the upper position on Vega's dual-payload adapter, but the mission isn't over. Two more burns are planned before deploying the final two satellites.

Proba-V is beginning a mission of two-and-a-half years watching changes in global vegetation growth, continuing a 15-year data record used for research into climate change, crop yields and drought.

T+plus 55 minutes. The AVUM's liquid-fueled engine has shut down on time. Deployment of the Proba-V satellite is coming up in a few seconds.

T+plus 53 minutes, 15 seconds. Ignition of the AVUM stage's RD-869 engine confirmed to circularize the rocket's altitude at 509 miles. This burn will last about 92 seconds.

The rocket is currently flying in range of a tracking site in Perth, Australia.

Vega continues to function normally as it approaches the next phase of the mission, which will inject the European Space Agency's Proba-V satellite into a 509-mile-high orbit. The second firing of the fourth stage is about nine minutes away.

The second ignition of the AVUM engine is set for 0259 GMT (10:59 p.m. EDT; 11:59 p.m. French Guiana time). All systems still normal on-board the launcher.

T+plus 11 minutes, 30 seconds. The RD-869 engine, provided by Yuzhnoye of Ukraine, has switched off following a successful first burn. Three more AVUM firings are on tap in tonight's mission before the last satellite is deployed.

T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. Less than a minute left in the first burn of the AVUM fourth stage to inject the rocket into a parking orbit.

T+plus 8 minutes. Now 272 kilometers over the Atlantic Ocean, the AVUM fourth stage continues firing its RD-869 engine provided by Ukraine.

T+plus 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Shutdown of the third stage motor and ignition of the AVUM fourth stage's Ukrainian engine to inject the Vega into a temporary transfer orbit.

T+plus 5 minutes, 15 seconds. Vega's altitude is now 245 kilometers and velocity is 5.78 kilometers per second. The third stage Zefiro 9 motor will burn out in about a minute.

T+plus 4 minutes, 10 seconds. The clamshell-like payload fairing has been jettisoned.

T+plus 3 minutes, 55 seconds. The Zefiro 23 seconds stage has burned out and separated, giving way to the third stage Zefiro 9A motor, which is now firing at an altitude of 140 kilometers. Velocity is now 3.9 kilometers per second.

T+plus 2 minutes. First stage shutdown and separation confirmed after consuming 194,000 pounds of solid propellant, and Vega's Zefiro 23 second stage has ignited.

T+plus 1 minute. Now approaching 50,000 feet high, Vega has surpassed the region of maximum aerodynamic pressure. The first stage P80FW motor, the largest single-segment solid rocket ever built, continues firing as expected.

T+plus 40 seconds. The 98-foot-tall Vega rocket is racing into the night sky over the Guiana Space Center, already surpassing the speed of sound and casting an orange glow over the jungle spaceport.

LIFTOFF! The Vega rocket has launched on a dual-satellite delivery mission carrying environmental and Earth observation satellites for Europe and Vietnam.

T-minus 60 seconds and counting.

T-minus 90 seconds and counting. The four-stage launcher is being transitioned to internal battery power and disconnected from its ground power source.

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. The target launch time of 0206:31 GMT is being loaded into the Vega's on-board computer.

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The Proba-V and VNREDSat 1 satellites are reported on internal power.

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. The synchronized launch sequence has begun for the Vega's final countdown. This computer-controlled sequence monitors thousands of parameters in the countdown's last moments, ensuring all systems are ready for flight.

T-minus 7 minutes and counting. The countdown's synchronized sequence begins at T-minus 4 minutes.

We are now streaming live video from the Guiana Space Center as the countdown enters the final 20 minutes.

The synchronized launch sequence takes over the countdown about four minutes prior to liftoff. The computer-controlled final sequence checks thousands of parameters in the final steps of the countdown.

After liftoff, Vega will clear the pad's four lightning towers and pitch north from the Guiana Space Center, heading over the Atlantic Ocean and surpassing the speed of sound in about 30 seconds.

The Vega's solid-fueled P80FW first stage, producing a maximum of 683,000 pounds of thrust, burns out 116 seconds after liftoff, giving way to the launcher's Zefiro 23 second stage at an altitude of 33 miles.

After a 103-second burn, the second stage consumes its propellant 3 minutes, 40 seconds after launch and separates. The Vega's third stage, the Zefiro 9A motor, ignites 3 minutes, 55 seconds into the mission.

Five seconds later, Vega's 8.5-foot-diameter payload fairing will jettison.

Vega's third stage fires for more than two minutes, turning off and separating 6 minutes, 19 seconds after liftoff.

The fourth stage, known as AVUM, ignites its liquid-fueled Ukrainian engine 6 minutes, 26 seconds into the mission, burning for nearly five minutes to reach a transfer orbit above Earth.

After coasting for more than 40 minutes, the AVUM fourth stage will fire again to reach a circular 509-mile-high orbit with an inclination of 98.73 degrees.

Separation of the Proba-V payload, a European Space Agency vegetation monitoring satellite, is expected 55 minutes, 27 seconds into the flight.

Another firing of the AVUM fourth stage, set for an hour and four minutes after launch, will begin modifying its orbit for release of the mission's other two payloads - the VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube spacecraft.

After another coast phase, the top of the rocket's Vespa dual-payload adapter will jettison to reveal VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube 1.

The AVUM fourth stage will ignite again for a 65-second burn before releasing VNREDSat 1 and ESTCube in a 413-mile-high orbit with an inclination of 98.13 degrees.

Separation of VNREDSat 1 is scheduled for 0403 GMT (12:03 a.m. EDT), followed about three minutes later by separation of ESTCube 1.

A fifth firing of the AVUM engine will deorbit the stage to comply with space debris regulations.

For more details, check out the launch timeline.

T-minus 28 minutes and counting. The downrange tracking stations report they are ready for launch, and the rocket is now being configured to enter the snychronized countdown sequence.

With one hour until launch, there continue to be no problems reported in the countdown for launch of Vega. Liftoff is set for 0206:31 GMT (10:06:31 p.m. EDT; 11:06:31 p.m. local time) from French Guiana.

The 16-story gantry at the Vega launch pad, the former home of Europe's Ariane 1, 2 and 3 rockets, has been parked in launch position. Soon the launch team will prepare to enter the synchronized sequence, a computer-controlled program which begins in the final few minutes of the countdown.

Development of Vega leading up to its first launch last year cost European governments and industry 786 million euros, or more than $1 billion.

Italy is the largest contributor to the lightweight booster, funding more than 58 percent of Vega's budget. France was the second-largest partner, responsible for 25 percent of the work.

Five other ESA member states participated in the Vega program, including Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.

European officials say the Vega program is aimed at the institutional market for research satellites, particularly Earth observation spacecraft. Many ESA remote sensing payloads now launch on Russian rockets, which are composed of retired Soviet-era ballistic missile stages.

If today's flight goes as planned, the next flight of Vega is scheduled for next year with the DZR-HH high-resolution Earth imaging satellite for the government of Kazakhstan.

Retraction of the Vega launch pad gantry is underway, according to ESA.

Rolling on rails, it takes about 45 minutes for the gantry to move to the launch position about 260 feet from the rocket.

Early countdown procedures this afternoon include powering up the Vega rocket, checking the health of its systems and verifying telemetry links between the launch vehicle and a network of communications stations around the Guiana Space Center.

The rocket's navigation system is also being prepared for flight.

The launch pad's 16-story mobile service gantry will be wheeled into the launch position on rail tracks shortly after 2300 GMT (7 p.m. EDT).

Although upper level winds look better tonight, the launch team will closely watch the conditions throughout the day and night in Kourou. Meteorologists will launch a series of weather balloons to record the speed and direction of winds aloft.

An Arianespace spokesperson says there will be another Vega launch attempt this evening after the flight was delayed from Friday to wait out brisk easterly high-altitude winds.

The winds have died down enough for officials to conclude there is a chance the conditions will be favorable at launch time tonight, which is set for 0206:31 GMT Tuesday (10:06:31 p.m. EDT Monday).

With high-altitude winds still troublesome over French Guiana, Arianespace officials have put off the flight of Europe's second Vega launcher until at least Monday night, U.S. and French Guiana time.

The launch will not occur tonight because weather conditions have not improved - and may be worse - since Friday night's launch attempt was scrubbed due to unfavorable upper level winds, an Arianespace spokesperson told Spaceflight Now.

The Vega rocket is stored inside the launch pad's mobile gantry, protected from the elements at the tropical spaceport.

Officials in charge of the Guiana Space Center and Vega rocket will evaluate the weather conditions again before deciding whether to proceed with a countdown Monday evening.

The mission has a daily launch opportunity at precisely 0206:31 GMT (10:06:31 p.m. EDT; 11:06:31 p.m. French Guiana time).

The earliest the Vega rocket could take off is Sunday evening, but officials have not set a firm launch date yet, according to an Arianespace spokesperson.

Managers are watching upper level winds over French Guiana, and the pesky conditions are slow to improve. The concern on Friday night's launch attempt was the winds would blow debris over populated areas in the event of an accident during flight.

The launch time each day remains the same: 0206:31 GMT (10:06:31 p.m. EDT).

An Arianespace spokesperson says officials will decide tomorrow morning whether to try to launch the Vega rocket Saturday night or delay further.

SCRUB. Tonight's Vega launch has been postponed due to unfavorable high-altitude winds at the launch site. We're waiting on word on when Arianespace will make another launch attempt.

T-minus 60 minutes and counting. There continue to be no problems reported in the countdown for launch of Vega this morning. Liftoff is set for 0206:31 GMT (10:06:31 p.m. EDT; 11:06:31 p.m. local time) from French Guiana.

Development of Vega leading up to its first launch last year cost European governments and industry 786 million euros, or more than $1 billion.

Italy is the largest contributor to the lightweight booster, funding more than 58 percent of Vega's budget. France was the second-largest partner, responsible for 25 percent of the work.

Five other ESA member states participated in the Vega program, including Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.

European officials say the Vega program is aimed at the institutional market for research satellites, particularly Earth observation spacecraft. Many ESA remote sensing payloads now launch on Russian rockets, which are composed of retired Soviet-era ballistic missile stages.

If today's flight goes as planned, the next flight of Vega is scheduled for next year with the DZR-HH high-resolution Earth imaging satellite for the government of Kazakhstan.

All systems are reported to be "go" for launch tonight in an instantaneous launch opportunity at 0206:31 GMT (10:06:31 p.m. EDT).

So far in the countdown, Vega's systems have been powered on and launch controllers have checked communications, tracking and command links between the rocket and ground facilities at the Guiana Space Center.

Officials confirm the launch pad's 16-story mobile gantry is now in its launch position about 260 feet from the rocket.

The 270-square-mile space center, run by the French space agency, CNES, and the European Space Agency, is located on the jungle coastline of French Guiana, situated on the northeast corner of South America.

The Vega launch pad, known by its French acronym ZLV, is about 1 kilometer southwest of the Ariane 5 launch complex. It was built on the former site of ELA-1, the home of Ariane 1, Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 launchers from 1979 until 1989.

Construction of the Vega launch pad began in 2004, including the building of a new 16-story mobile gantry weighing some 1000 metric tons. A fixed umbilical mast standing 105 feet tall provides air conditioning to the Vega's payload.

Workers also added four lightning towers at the pad to protect the Vega rocket from thunderstorms.

Unlike the Ariane 5 rocket, the Vega's stages are stacked on the pad inside the mobile gantry, which provides protection of the launcher from weather at the spaceport.

Vega's countdown is managed from Guiana Space Center's prime control center less than a mile from the launch pad, the same building where Ariane 5's countdown is controlled.

Officials approved the continuation of final Vega launch preparations today during a review of the readiness of the rocket, satellites and ground systems.

The countdown will begin at 1821 GMT (2:21 p.m. EDT) under the watchful eye of engineers stationed in the launch control center about a mile from the Vega launch zone.

The four-stage launcher will be powered up at 2026 GMT (4:26 p.m. EDT) for testing. At 2146 GMT (5:46 p.m. EDT), the rocket's guidance system will be aligned for flight.

The 45-minute process to retract the launch pad's 16-story mobile service gantry begins at 2326 GMT (7:26 p.m. EDT). The moveable tower will be parked about 260 feet from the rocket for liftoff.

Controllers will report the rocket is ready for the final countdown at 0132 GMT (9:32 p.m. EDT), leading to the start of the computer-controlled synchronized countdown sequence about four minutes prior to liftoff.

More details are available in our countdown timeline.

Check out photos of the Vega launch campaign.

Learn about the three satellites stowed aboard the Vega rocket for liftoff Friday night.

European officials say the second flight of the Vega satellite launcher, scheduled for liftoff Friday night, will strengthen the rocket's commercial prospects as it takes off on a complex mission to deploy satellites in two different orbits.

The launch carries three satellites for the European Space Agency, the Vietnamese government and university students from Estonia.

Proba-V, a $65 million mission for ESA, will monitor global vegetation growth, Vietnam's VNREDSat 1 satellite will acquire sharp imagery of Earth for environmental and security services, and a CubeSat will ride along to become Estonia's first satellite.

Liftoff from the European-run Guiana Space Center on the northeast shore of South America is set for 0206:31 GMT Saturday (10:06:31 p.m. EDT; 11:06:31 p.m. local time Friday), kicking off a two-hour mission to rocket into space and precisely maneuver the payloads into their proper orbits.

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