FIRST EUROPEAN SATELLITE WAS LAUNCHED BY THE VEGA ROCKET
This launch was successfully completed.first europe's satellite was reached in to space.
The Vega rocket is Europe's first ever spacecraft capable of putting satellites into space and means the continent will no longer have to rely on Russian or American vehicles for its projects.
It is hoped Vega will guarantee European countries access to space for launching smaller satellites giving them more control over the schedules of their space projects.
Currently, smaller spacecraft, which include many Earth observation satellites, have to ride on converted Russian nuclear missiles with European operators having to wait months to get a launch slot.
For Vega's first launch the main passenger was the LARES satellite that will test aspects of Einstein's theory of general relativity.
In a break from previous European rocket programmes that were heavily financed by France, Vega's development price tag of more than €1bn has been 60 per cent financed by Italy.
