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Arianespace To Launch Gaia For European Space Agency
Paris, France (SPX) Dec 22, 2009 Gaia is a successor to the Hipparcos satellite launched by Arianespace in 1989. Gaia will be placed into deep space beyond lunar orbit by a Soyuz rocket launched from the Guiana Space Center (French Guiana) in 2012. The orbit will be of a Lissajous-type around the second Lagrange point (L2). Built by Astrium, Gaia will weigh about 2,100 kg at launch. Like Hipparcos, a pioneer in space-based astronomy, Gaia will observe more than a billion objects with magnitudes down to 20. Gaia will enable scientists to provide even more accurate answers concerning the formation, composition and evolution of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, extrasolar planets and other galaxies. "Arianespace is especially proud of contributing to scientific knowledge by launching Gaia," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace. "Like Hipparcos, it will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. This latest contract, the fifth we have signed in 2009 for a Soyuz launch from the Guiana Space Center, is clear recognition of the quality and competitiveness of our launch service and solutions. It also largely illustrates the advantages of the European family of launch vehicles developed by ESA and operated by Arianespace." According to David Southwood, Director of Science and Robotic Exploration: "Gaia is a grand challenge to understanding our galaxy, to find out what it is made of and, thus, where we have come from. Europe alone has taken up the challenge. We therefore are very pleased to be launched by Arianespace." Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Arianespace Launch Pad at Space-Travel.com
Arianespace Powers On With 30 Years Of LaunchesParis, France (SPX) Dec 18, 2009 The new European launcher lifted off from the South American launch site at Kourou, French Guyana, with thundering engines - a day of enormous importance for the entire European space effort. This was the first time that the member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) launched their own rocket into space - the foundation stone of the extraordinary success story of the Ariane launcher ... read more |
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