26 July 2025 – Arianespace successfully launched Airbus Defence and Space’s CO3D satellites, as well as the CNES’s MicroCarb satellite. This mission, called “VV27” was performed using an Arianespace operated Vega C rocket, launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The main passengers, the four satellites composing the CO3D constellation, were placed into Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 495 km and were separated two by two 54 minutes after lift-off. Designed and built by Airbus, the CO3D (Constellation Optique 3D) satellites will deliver a global high-resolution Digital Surface Model (DSM) service to CNES providing 50 cm stereo imagery as well as 2D imagery for government and commercial customers. The CNES’ MicroCarb mission is designed to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the most important greenhouse gas, on a global scale. The satellite’s dispersive spectrometer instrument will measure atmospheric concentration of CO₂ globally with a high degree of precision. Read more