The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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As part of the six-month test campaign to make sure the Sentinel-2A satellite is ready for launch next year, the satellite was joined to the a launch adapter and a model of the Vega rocket’s upper stage to check that they fitted together as they should. The engineers also joined the umbilical connectors as part of this fit check. A test, which involved two simultaneous explosions, was also carried out to make sure the satellite will be able to withstand the shock when the rocket’s fairing is released on its way into orbit. A further test simulated the shock of separation when the satellite is released into orbit. This separation test was also carried out using a model of the Rockot upper stage. Sentinel-2A will be launched on a Vega rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, in spring 2015, while it is planned to launch Sentinel-2B on Rockot from Plesetsk in 2016. The satellites are being built in parallel.