23/08/2018 (Agence Europe) – After launch was postponed due to weather conditions, the European satellite Aeolus was successfully sent into orbit on Wednesday 22 August at 11.20 pm, using the smallest European launcher, Vega, from the Kourou base in French Guyana. The satellite is to measure winds across the Earth using an ultraviolet laser instrument, the first of its kind. The aim is to fill a data gap relating to winds around our planet by drawing up three-dimensional dynamic maps. “It will fill a gap in our knowledge of how the planet functions and demonstrate how cutting-edge technology can be used in space”, said Jan Wörner, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA). This programme is not part of the European observation programme Copernicus, but a scientific ESA programme. (PH)