Europe’s LISA Pathfinder spacecraft, carrying high-tech thrusters and ultra-sensitive motion sensors to be used in a future gravitational wave detection mission, blasted off from French Guiana early Thursday aboard a nearly 100-foot-tall (30-meter) Vega rocket.
After lifting off at 0404 GMT Thursday (1:04 a.m. French Guiana time; 11:04 p.m. EDT Wednesday), the four-stage Vega booster turned east and accelerated into orbit with LISA Pathfinder, deploying the satellite an hour and 45 minutes later.
Read our full launch story for details on LISA Pathfinder’s pioneering mission.
Photo credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. MartinPhoto credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. MartinPhoto credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSGPhoto credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – JM GuillonPhoto credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – JM GuillonPhoto credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. MartinPhoto credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – JM GuillonPhoto credit: ESA–Stephane Corvaja, 2015Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
European engineers who developed a small satellite hitching a ride to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX supply ship Monday are gearing up for a first-of-a-kind experiment to examine ways to snare a chunk of space junk and tug it back to Earth.
Boeing Satellite Systems, Airbus Defense and Space and Orbital ATK have won orders from Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES for three new communications spacecraft for launch in 2017.
Europe’s Rosetta comet probe re-established momentary contact with the Philae lander late Thursday, renewing hopes of starting up the craft’s research instruments after two weeks of radio silence dampened the moods of scientists.
