Vega is shown on the launch pad prior to its qualification flight from French Guiana, performed on February 13, 2012
Photo is courtesy of Arianespace

...VNREDSat-1A Earth Observation (EO) satellite, on behalf of the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology. This ceremony was attended by ESA's Director General and by representatives of the Directorate of Launchers. VNREDSat-1A will be launched during the second quarter of 2013 by the second Vega launcher, VERTA 1, performed by Arianespace at the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, for the European Space Agency (ESA). The satellite will be carried in the lower position on the Vespa multiple launch structure used for this mission.

An optical observation satellite, VNREDSat-1A will be injected into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 670km. The 120kg satellite is being built by Astrium, which will supply to Vietnam the complete satellite system and ground receiving facilities.

Arianespace's family of launch vehicles, Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega, is perfectly suited to satellites based on Myriade or AstroSat-100 platforms, such as VNREDSat-1A. Arianespace has already launched 12 satellites of this type from the Guiana Space center, seven using Ariane 5 (4 Essaim, 2 Spirale, Parasol), and five using Soyuz (4 Elisa, SSOT). Another satellite using this type of platform is also scheduled for an Arianespace launch.