Arianespace has rescheduled the 16th flight for Vega to a launch window of 1-4 September. Flight VV16 has been pushed back several times, mainly due to bad weather conditions at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. Models indicated a chance of over 90 percent for a successful launch on those days.
For Arianespace’s sixth mission this year, and its first Vega flight for 2020, the company will orbit 53 satellites for 21 customers on the Proof of Concept (PoC) launch for the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS). Flight VV16’s satellite payloads will serve a range of applications, including Earth observation, telecommunications, science, technology and education. Flight VV16 will be performed from the Vega Launch Complex (SLV) in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Arianespace concept, with multiple small satellites ranging from 1 to 500 kg being flown together on Vega, seeks to share launch cost. It was developed with support form the European Space Agency (ESA) and Avio. The satellite dispenser is an ESA product developed by Avio under ESA leadership and built by Czech company SAB Aerospace. Satellite integration was performed for the first time in Europe, in the Czech Republic.
The European Union contributed to the financing of this flight.
Source: https://www.telecompaper.com/news/arianespace-schedules-vega-flight-for-1-4-september--1351912