 Model of Vega C at Paris Air Show 2015 | |
| Function | Small-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Avio |
| Country of origin | European multi-national[a] |
| Size | |
| Height | 34.8 m (114 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
| Mass | 210,000 kg (460,000 lb) |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 700 km (430 mi) |
| Orbital inclination | 90° |
| Mass | 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) |
| Payload to polar orbit | |
| Altitude | 500 km (310 mi) |
| Orbital inclination | 88° |
| Mass | 2,250 kg (4,960 lb) |
| Payload to equatorial elliptical orbit | |
| Altitude | apogee: 5,700 km (3,500 mi) perigee: 250 km (160 mi) |
| Orbital inclination | 6° |
| Mass | 1,700 kg (3,700 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Vega |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Guiana Space Centre, ELV |
| Total launches | 2 |
| Success(es) | 1 |
| Failure(s) | 1 (VV22) |
| First flight | 13 July 2022 |
| Last flight | 21 December 2022 |
| First stage – P120C | |
| Height | 13.38 m (43.9 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
| Gross mass | 155,027 kg (341,776 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 141,634 kg (312,250 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 4,323 kN (972,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 279 s (2.74 km/s) |
| Burn time | 135.7 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / AP / Al |
| Second stage – Zefiro 40 | |
| Height | 8.07 m (26.5 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Gross mass | 40,477 kg (89,237 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 36,239 kg (79,893 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 1,304 kN (293,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 293.5 s (2.878 km/s) |
| Burn time | 92.9 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / AP / Al |
| Third stage – Zefiro 9 | |
| Height | 4.12 m (13.5 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Gross mass | 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 10,567 kg (23,296 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 317 kN (71,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 295.9 s (2.902 km/s) |
| Burn time | 119.6 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / AP / Al |
| Fourth stage – AVUM+ | |
| Height | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) |
| Diameter | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) |
| Empty mass | 698 kg (1,539 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 492 kg (1,085 lb) of N2O4, 248 kg (547 lb) of UDMH |
| Powered by | 1 × MEA |
| Maximum thrust | 2.42 kN (540 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 315.8 s (3.097 km/s) |
| Burn time | Up to 924.8 seconds (up to five burns)[b] |
| Propellant | UDMH / N2O4 |
Vega C, or Vega Consolidation, is a European expendable, small-lift launch vehicle developed and produced by Avio. It is an evolution of the original Vega launcher, designed to offer greater launch performance and flexibility.
Approved for development by the European Space Agency (ESA) in December 2014, Vega C was designed to accommodate larger institutional payloads and compete effectively in the commercial launch market.[1] Initially marketed and operated by Arianespace, the ESA decided in August 2024 to empower Avio to directly commercialize Vega C and seek non-governmental customers. This transition is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2025.[2][3]
Vega C, like its predecessor, is designed to launch small satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and sun-synchronous low Earth orbits.[4] The reference Vega C mission places a 2,300-kilogram (5,100 lb) spacecraft into a 700-kilometre (430 mi) polar orbit, representing an 800-kilogram (1,800 lb) or 60% increase over the original Vega.
Named after Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra,[5] the rocket is a single-body launcher (no strap-on boosters) with three solid and one liquid stage. While Avio of Italy leads the Vega program, contributions come from companies in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.
Vega C features several key advancements over the original Vega. The first stage is replaced by the more powerful P120C, which is also used as a booster on the Ariane 6 launcher, allowing development costs to be shared. The second stage is the upgraded Zefiro 40. While the AVUM+ upper stage remains largely unchanged, it carries a larger propellant load. The third stage, Zefiro 9, remains the same.[6]
Vega rockets are launched from the ELV launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. The Vega C's maiden flight on 13 July 2022 successfully delivered LARES 2 and six other satellites to orbit.[7] However, the second launch on 21 December 2022 experienced a failure of the Zefiro 40 second stage, resulting in the loss of two Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites.[8] Consequently, the next launch was delayed until late 2024 to allow for the rocket motor nozzle to be redesigned.[9]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "Media backgrounder for ESA Council at Ministerial Level". esa.int. ESA. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ Robinson-Smith, Will (3 September 2024). "ESA targets Wednesday night for swan song launch of its Vega rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-07-08). "Could Avio's Finalized Split from Arianespace Offer an Opening for Competitors?". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Amos, Jonathan (13 February 2012). "Vega launcher makes first flight". BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ Tariq Malik (13 February 2012). "Europe Launches New Vega Rocket on Maiden Voyage". Space.com. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
The Italian-built Vega rocket is named after the second-brightest star in the northern hemisphere
- ^ "VEGA-C". Avio. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
- ^ European Space Agency, ed. (2022-07-13). "Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
- ^ "Europe's Vega C rocket fails on 2nd-ever mission, 2 satellites lost". Space.com. 21 December 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (October 2, 2023). "ESA delays Vega C return to flight to late 2024". Spacenews.