Fueling completed
Engineers at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, have finished loading the FLEX satellite with propellant. The operation followed standard safety procedures and marks a significant milestone in the pre‑launch campaign. The propulsion system is now ready for the forthcoming flight.
Mission objectives
FLEX, short for Fluorescence Explorer, carries an imaging spectrometer designed to detect the faint fluorescence emitted by plants during photosynthesis. By measuring this signal from orbit, the mission will provide global data on vegetation productivity, stress responses and the carbon cycle, supporting climate research and agricultural monitoring. The information will also help assess ecosystem health and food security.
Launch schedule
The satellite is set to launch on 15 September 2025 at 03:21 CEST (22:21 local time in Kourou) aboard a Vega‑C rocket. After liftoff, FLEX will be placed into a sun‑synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 800 kilometres, where it will begin its commissioning phase. Ground stations will acquire the first signals shortly after separation.
Next steps
Following launch, the operations team will conduct a series of checks to verify instrument performance and calibrate the fluorescence sensor. Once validation is complete, regular science observations are expected to start, delivering data to the scientific community and policy makers worldwide.