Vega launcher makes first flight

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

13 February 2012 Last updated at 11:31 GMT

Vega launcher makes first flight

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

Europe's new Vega rocket has completed a flawless first flight.

Controllers at the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana ignited the rocket at 07:00 local time (10:00 GMT), and it completed its mission 70 minutes later.

The 30m-tall vehicle has been designed to put small scientific and government satellites in orbit.

For its first outing, Vega placed nine payloads in orbit, including a physics experiment to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16956324

[HopeHoops]

1. I just had a mental image of a green 71 Vega held together with duct tape flying off into space.

And a PBR tall boy can flying out of the window. RIP, Bill Jolly.