Sentinel-1C will be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 435 miles (700 kilometers), enhancing Earth observation capabilities.

On December 5, 2024, the European Vega C rocket successfully launched from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, marking its first flight since a failed launch in December 2022.

ESA and its partner Avio emphasized the extensive preparations made to ensure the success of this launch.

Following the previous launch failure, the nozzle of the Vega C was redesigned and is now manufactured in France under stricter quality control measures.

This mission is critical as it carries the Sentinel-1C satellite for the Copernicus program, which is essential for replacing the lost Sentinel-1B satellite.

Josef Aschbacher, head of ESA, expressed optimism about the launch, stating that there are no issues with the Sentinel-1C satellite or the Vega C rocket.

The Vega C rocket specializes in deploying small satellites into low Earth orbit, while the Ariane 6 rocket is designed for larger payloads.

The two-year hiatus in Vega C launches posed significant challenges for the European Space Agency (ESA), especially due to delays in the Ariane 6's development, which forced reliance on SpaceX for some missions.

The new nozzle for the Vega C was sourced from France, replacing a component produced in Ukraine that had previously failed due to inadequate testing.

The Vega C rocket features four stages, including the powerful P120C first stage, which significantly increases thrust at launch.

Earlier on the same day, ESA successfully launched its Proba-3 mission using an Indian rocket, showcasing its ongoing commitment to space exploration.

The successful launch of Sentinel-1C will restore the two-satellite configuration with Sentinel-1A, following the decommissioning of Sentinel-1B.