Arianespace
to
Launch
European
Space
Agency
Mission
16
December
2009
Gaia
is a
successor
to
the
Hipparcos
satellite
launched
by
Arianespace
in
1989.
Gaia
will
be
placed
into
deep
space
beyond
lunar
orbit
by a
Soyuz
rocket
launched
from
the
Guiana
Space
Center
(French
Guiana)
in
2012.
The
orbit
will
be
of a
Lissajous-type
around
the
second
Lagrange
point
(L2).
Built
by
Astrium,
Gaia
will
weigh
about
2,100
kg
at
launch.
Like
Hipparcos,
a
pioneer
in
space-based
astronomy,
Gaia
will
observe
more
than
a
billion
objects
with
magnitudes
down
to
20.
Gaia
will
enable
scientists
to
provide
even
more
accurate
answers
concerning
the
formation,
composition
and
evolution
of
our
Galaxy,
the
Milky
Way,
extrasolar
planets
and
other
galaxies.
“Arianespace
is
especially
proud
of
contributing
to
scientific
knowledge
by
launching
Gaia,”
said
Jean-Yves
Le
Gall,
Chairman
and
CEO
of
Arianespace.
“Like
Hipparcos,
it
will
revolutionize
our
understanding
of
the
Universe.
This
latest
contract,
the
fifth
we
have
signed
in
2009
for
a
Soyuz
launch
from
the
Guiana
Space
Center,
is
clear
recognition
of
the
quality
and
competitiveness
of
our
launch
service
and
solutions.
It
also
largely
illustrates
the
advantages
of
the
European
family
of
launch
vehicles
developed
by
ESA
and
operated
by
Arianespace.”
According
to
David
Southwood,
Director
of
Science
and
Robotic
Exploration:
"Gaia
is a
grand
challenge
to
understanding
our
galaxy,
to
find
out
what
it
is
made
of
and,
thus,
where
we
have
come
from.
Europe
alone
has
taken
up
the
challenge.
We
therefore
are
very
pleased
to
be
launched
by
Arianespace."
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