ESA’s FLEX mission ahead of launch

The European Space Agency’s Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission is preparing for launch on a Vega-C rocket on 15 September at 03:21 CEST (14 September at 22:21 local time) marking an important step in Europe’s efforts to better understand the condition and productivity of the world’s vegetation. FLEX will measure the faint fluorescent light emitted by plants during photosynthesis, providing scientists with valuable information about how vegetation responds to environmental changes.

By observing this signal from space, the mission will help improve our understanding of plant health, carbon uptake and the effects of factors such as drought, heat and changing growing conditions. The data gathered by FLEX is expected to support climate research, environmental monitoring and the development of more sustainable approaches to managing natural resources.

SpaceTech is proud to contribute to the FLEX project through the development and delivery of the satellite’s solar arrays. These systems will provide the electrical power required to operate the spacecraft and its instruments throughout the mission.

Watch the VV30 launch live from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana