Arianespace is targeting the launch of mission VV23 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 10:36 p.m., local time (October 5, 01:36 a.m. UTC) — VV23 will place its passengers into Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).
This Vega launch is carrying THEOS-2 and FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON as well as ten, auxiliary payloads.
THEOS-2 (THailand Earth Observation System-2) is a high-resolution, EO, optical satellite, part of the nexgen, national geo-information system provided by Airbus Defence and Space in support of the Kingdom of Thailand’s key development priorities. Delivering 0.5 meter ground resolution imagery, this end-to-end system will complement THEOS-1 that was launched in 2008 for Thailand.
FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON, developed by the Taiwanese Space Agency (TASA), is equipped with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) that collects signals that bounce off the sea surface. It helps scientists calculate the wind field over the oceans. This data will be shared with the global meteorology community, contributing to the forecast of typhoon intensity and trajectory.