Europes first-generation Vega rocket has blasted a payload intospacefor the last time.
Vega lifted off from Europes Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in the early hours of this morning.
It was carrying Sentinel-2C, an Earth observation platform that will now join Europes fleet of Copernicus satellites.
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This mission was a precursor toSpace Rider, a reusable robotic laboratory spacecraft set to launch next year.
Vega-C is scheduled to resume operations in November.
Competing with SpaceX
Vegas decommissioning is a bittersweet moment for Europes space sector.
While the launcher enabled independent access to space for some key European missions, it never really achievedcommercial success.
Its a problem that haunts Vega-C and Europes latest heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6.
That launcher onlytook off a month agoafter four years of delays.
These setbacks forced Europeto contract launch missions to Elon MusksSpaceX.
SpaceXs Falcon 9 is the worlds first orbital class reusable rocket.
Neither Vega-C and Ariane 6 are reusable.
Amid growing competition they may struggle to find their niche.
Story bySion Geschwindt
Sion is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy.
