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Vega-C | Biomass
Vega-C | Biomass launched on Tue, Apr 29, 2025, 09:15 AM UTC — a Arianespace mission.
Launch SuccessfulArianespace
Lifted offNET Apr 2025
NET Tue, Apr 29, 2025, 09:15 AM UTC
Live coverage
Watch the webcasts
3 streams available — switch between the provider’s feed, X and others.
Mission profile
The flight at a glance
Vega-CVehicle
ArianespaceProvider
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)Pad
Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaLocation
Earth ScienceMission type
Sun-Synchronous OrbitOrbit
Flight sequence
Mission timeline
Key events from liftoff — ignition, staging, separation and deployment — with their times relative to T0.
- LiftoffT+ 00:00:00
- Stage 2 SeparationT+ 00:02:25
- Stage 3 SeparationT+ 00:04:31
- Fairing SeparationT+ 00:04:43
- Kick Stage SeparationT+ 00:07:10
- Kick Stage BurnT+ 00:08:00
- Kick Stage BurnT+ 00:53:00
- Payload SeparationT+ 00:57:00
- Kick Stage BurnT+ 01:46:00
Flight simulation
Ascent to orbit
A representative gravity-turn climb for Vega-C to Sun-Synchronous Orbit. Illustrative model — not this mission’s live telemetry.
Mission timeT+0:00
Altitude0.0 km
Velocity0.00 km/s
PhaseLiftoff
T+0:00 / 8:50
SimulatedRepresentative Vega-C ascent profile — illustrative model, not this mission’s live telemetry.
The mission
Biomass
Biomass is an European Space Agency mission designed to measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests. The spacecraft, built by Airbus Defence and Space, features the first civilian P-band synthetic aperture radar as well as a 12m-diameter deployable reflector from L3Harris made of over 900 km of gold-coated molybdenum 25µm wire. With a minimum operational lifetime of 5 years in its 666km 6am/6pm sun-synchronous orbit, the global coverage achieved every 9 months allows to precisely monitor the evolution of forests over time.
Around this launch
Related news
No news linked to this launch yet
As coverage publishes, deduplicated articles about this mission will appear here.
Good to know
Frequently asked
What time does Vega-C | Biomass launch?
Vega-C | Biomass is scheduled to lift off Tue, Apr 29, 2025, 09:15 AM UTC.
Where can I watch Vega-C | Biomass?
Watch the official live webcast embedded on this page — it goes live shortly before liftoff.
Who is launching Vega-C | Biomass?
Vega-C | Biomass is an Arianespace mission flying on a Vega-C.
Where does Vega-C | Biomass launch from?
It lifts off from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.