ESA's Vega Launcher Has Successful Maiden Flight 32
Zothecula writes "The European Space Agency's new Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata — or Vega — launch vehicle lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 10 a.m. GMT on February 13 on its maiden flight. Designed for launching small payloads, Vega is intended to complement Europe's existing family of launchers that includes the Ariane 5 heavy-lifter and Soyuz medium-class launchers. The qualification flight, designated VV01, saw the first Vega successfully carry nine satellites into orbit."
Re:europe's spaceport? (Score:5, Informative)
Why is Hawaii part of the United States of America? It's not in America?
Although it is geographically in South America, French Guiana is an overseas region of France, and hence considered to part of the EU politically.
As to why ESA put their spaceport there: You want to launch eastward (to get the best "speed boost" from Earth's rotation), and you get the best boost at (or near) the equator. You also want to launch over water, in case the thing comes back down unexpectedly. French Guiana is close to the equator and has an ocean to the east -- mainland Europe has neither.
Re:Never quite understood this (Score:5, Informative)
Re:europe's spaceport? (Score:4, Informative)
It's not a colony. It is a French department on equal standing as any other mainland department. They vote for national and EU elections and use the euro.