Vega C lofts FLEX and Sentinel-3C into orbit from French Guiana

A Vega C rocket launched from Kourou in French Guiana carried ESA's FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites into low Earth orbit. FLEX will map vegetation fluorescence to study plant photosynthesis and the global carbon cycle with food-security implications, while Sentinel-3C will continue the Copernicus mission by monitoring Earth's oceans, land, ice and atmosphere to support near‑real‑time weather and ocean forecasting; both satellites were deployed at about 820 km altitude and were free-flying roughly 116 minutes after liftoff.