PHOTOS: Vega's dawn blastoff

BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Posted: February 13, 2012

ESA photographers snapped these photos of the 98-foot Vega rocket on the day of its first mission in Kourou, French Guiana.

The four-stage rocket lifted off at 1000 GMT (5 a.m. EST; 7 a.m. local time), just after sunrise at the South America spaceport.

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2012

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2012

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2012

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2012

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2012

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2012

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2012

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2012

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2012

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