Arianespace has launched a Vega rocket to deliver an Earth observation satellite into orbit for the Kingdom of Morocco.

Liftoff of Vega’s 13th mission from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana came at 01:42 GMT on 21 November (02:42 CET; 22:42 local time on 20 November).

With a mass at liftoff of 1108 kg, Mohammed VI-B was manoeuvred into its target Sun-synchronous orbit about 55 minutes into the mission after two burns of Vega’s upper stage.

Complying with debris regulations to help keep space clean, Vega’s upper stage fired a final time to ensure direct reentry and burn up high in the atmosphere over the ocean.

Vega is a 30 m-high, four-stage vehicle designed to accommodate small scientific and Earth observation payloads of 300–2500 kg, depending on the orbit.