Journalists are kindly invited to follow the launch of the new Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite live from Europe’s Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, on Wednesday, 4 December 2024.
Members of the media will be joined at the event by leading ESA experts in space operations and Earth observation, as well as industry managers, European Commission officials, members of the Copernicus user communities and space agency managers. The launch of Sentinel-1C on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (known as VV25), will be broadcast live and journalists will also get a chance to observe the critical "launch and early orbit phase" locally as the ESA control centre in Darmstadt will take over the satellite in orbit.
The following media programme has been planned for journalists on site, timings may change subject to ongoing operations. Further details will be confirmed on arrival.
Media programme (all times in CET)
20:30
Security check at ESA ’ s’European Space Operations Centre, ESOC, in Darmstadt, Germany (20 min. south of Frankfurt airport)
20:45
Small snacks, first interviews at ESOC press centre, H 05
21:00
Welcome by Rolf Densing, ESA Director Operations, Head of ESA/ESOC Highlights of Europe’s Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite by Nicolaus Hanowski, Head of Department Mission Management and Ground Systems, ESA Directorate for Earth Observation Programmes Greetings by European Commission (DG DEFIS) , Hugo Zunker, Policy Officer(remotely)and by , Godela Rossner, Head of DLR Earth Observation Dept, tbc.
Europe’s Vega-C launcher by Tommaso Ghidini, Head of Department and Vega C expert, ESA Technology Directorate Usage of Copernicus data by start-ups , e.g. CoraMaps , DG Markus Huhn on disaster management and precision farming (ESA Business Incubation, Darmstadt) Role of Industry building Sentinel 1C - Prime Contractor Thales Alenia Space by Diego Calabrese, Director Earth Observation System Engineering Dept.
Latest updates from ESA control rooms by Thomas Ormston,
Earth Observation Flight Operations team at ESA/ESOC
ca. 21:40
Moderated Q+A session with journalists in the room
Light snacks, further 1-1 interviews andinformal discussions with ESA experts and guests
22:00 - ESA / Arianespace live TV broadcast starting from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (incl. TV inserts of ESA Flight Operations teams next door in ESOC)
22:20 - Launch of Vega-C rocket from Kourou carrying Sentinel-1C
Rocket lift-off, initial ascent into space
(punctual visits to nearby Briefing Room/Main Control Room in critical phase just after Vega-C rocket launch, latest updates from ESA Flight Operations Director Ian Shurmer)
23:00
Journalists in press centre H 05, further interviews and snacks
00:05 - 00:15
Separation of satellite from Vega-C launcher - followed by initial Acquisition of Signal of Sentinel-1C in orbit, at 00:15, confirmed by ESA Operations team in Darmstadt
00:20
Concluding remarks / mission success statement
Rolf Densing, ESA Director of Operations, Head of ESA/ESOC
Further 1-1 interviews after success confirmation with ESA, industry and other experts
ca. 00:45
Closure of the ESOC centre for all journalists and guests
Media registration:
Please register by Tuesday 3 December, 17:00 CET at the latest.
Please select and complete the relevant form at:
https://blogs.esa.int/forms/ninja-forms/4oqw8
How to get to ESA/ESOC: www.esa.int/esoc
ESA Web TV
The VV25 launch will also be streamed via ESA Web TV:
www.esa.int/esawebtv
ESA Media Relations contacts:
Bernhard von Weyhe - bvw@esa.int
media@esa.int
Media invitation: Sentinel-1C launch event in Darmstadt, Germany
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