Vega Flight VV14

with PRISMA

Relive this launch

More about this launch

Press release: Arianespace orbits 600th satellite, the PRISMA Earth observation satellite for the Italian Space Agency

Launch date: March 21, 2019

Payload(s): PRISMA

Launch vehicle: Vega

Launch site: Spaceport, French Guiana (Guiana Space Center)

Customer(s): Italian Space Agency

Prime contractor(s): OHB ITALIA, LEONARDO

Orbit: Sun-synchronous orbit

Status: Success

For its third mission of the year, and the 14th Vega flight since this launcher began operations at the Guiana Space Center in 2012, Arianespace will orbit the PRISMA Earth observation satellite on behalf of the ASI Italian space agency within the scope of a contract with OHB ITALIA.

In conducting this mission for Italy, Arianespace once again proves that Vega is a multi-purpose launch vehicle, perfectly tailored to address the growing Earth observation satellite market.

Flight VV14 will mark the 12th Vega mission dedicated to Earth observation, with PRISMA to become the 70th Earth observation satellite launched by Arianespace overall.

9:50:35 p.m. (March 21): Washington, D.C.

10:50:35 p.m. (March 21): Kourou

1:50:35 (March 22): UTC

2:50:35 a.m. (March 22): Paris and Rome

10:50:35 a.m. (March 22): Tokyo

Payload

PRISMA

PRISMA (PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa) was built for the ASI Italian space agency by OHB ITALIA as prime contractor, with LEONARDO responsible for the payload. Vega will deliver the satellite into a Sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit (SSO) for its Earth observation mission.

PRISMA will provide major applications to protect both our planet and Italy’s national environmental safety. Equipped with a state-of-the-art electro-optical instrument, made by a medium resolution photo camera sensitive to all the visible range (panchromatic) and by an innovative hyperspectral sensor, it will employ these capabilities for environmental monitoring, resources management, identification and classification of crops, fight against pollution, etc.

PRISMA will be the third satellite launched at the service of ASI by Arianespace, whose backlog comprises two other spacecraft for the Italian space agency: a pair of COSMO-SkyMed Second-Generation satellites on Soyuz and Vega C, for Thales Alenia Space on behalf of ASI and the Italian Ministry of Defence.

The PRISMA satellite was designed and manufactured by a consortium of Italian companies led by OHB ITALIA SpA and LEONARDO SpA. OHB ITALIA is responsible for overall program management, planning, systems engineering, development and integration of the platform and all validation activities. LEONARDO is responsible for the design, development, integration, testing and calibration of hyperspectral sensor and panchromatic camera.

PRISMA will be the 25th OHB satellite orbited by Arianespace, with the total comprised of three dedicated satellites and 22 constellation satellites. Eight OHB satellites remain in Arianespace’s backlog, including four Galileo satellites to be launched on the next-generation Ariane 62 version.