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Vega C

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Vega C
Model of Vega C at Paris Air Show 2015
FunctionSmall-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerAvio
Country of originEuropean multi-national[a]
Size
Height34.8 m (114 ft)
Diameter3.4 m (11 ft)
Mass210,000 kg (460,000 lb)
Stages4
Capacity
Payload to SSO
Altitude700 km (430 mi)
Orbital inclination90°
Mass2,300 kg (5,100 lb)
Payload to polar orbit
Altitude500 km (310 mi)
Orbital inclination88°
Mass2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
Payload to equatorial elliptical orbit
Altitudeapogee: 5,700 km (3,500 mi)
perigee: 250 km (160 mi)
Orbital inclination
Mass1,700 kg (3,700 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyVega
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesGuiana Space Centre, ELV
Total launches3
Success(es)2
Failure(s)1 (VV22)
First flight13 July 2022
Last flight5 December 2024
First stage – P120C
Height13.38 m (43.9 ft)
Diameter3.4 m (11 ft)
Gross mass155,027 kg (341,776 lb)
Propellant mass141,634 kg (312,250 lb)
Maximum thrust4,323 kN (972,000 lbf)
Specific impulse279 s (2.74 km/s)
Burn time135.7 seconds
PropellantHTPB / AP / Al
Second stage – Zefiro 40
Height8.07 m (26.5 ft)
Diameter2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Gross mass40,477 kg (89,237 lb)
Propellant mass36,239 kg (79,893 lb)
Maximum thrust1,304 kN (293,000 lbf)
Specific impulse293.5 s (2.878 km/s)
Burn time92.9 seconds
PropellantHTPB / AP / Al
Third stage – Zefiro 9
Height4.12 m (13.5 ft)
Diameter1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Gross mass12,000 kg (26,000 lb)
Propellant mass10,567 kg (23,296 lb)
Maximum thrust317 kN (71,000 lbf)
Specific impulse295.9 s (2.902 km/s)
Burn time119.6 seconds
PropellantHTPB / AP / Al
Fourth stage – AVUM+
Height2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Diameter2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
Empty mass698 kg (1,539 lb)
Propellant mass492 kg (1,085 lb) of N2O4, 248 kg (547 lb) of UDMH
Powered by1 × RD-843 (MEA)
Maximum thrust2.42 kN (540 lbf)
Specific impulse315.8 s (3.097 km/s)
Burn timeUp to 924.8 seconds (up to five burns)[b]
PropellantUDMH / N2O4

Vega C, or Vega Consolidation,[1] 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.[2] 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.[3][4]

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.[5] 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,[6] 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 introduces several key advancements over the original Vega. The first stage has been replaced by the more powerful P120C, the "C" refers to its common design allowing it to be used as a booster for the Ariane 6 launcher, enabling shared development costs. The second stage features the upgraded Zefiro 40. While the AVUM+ (Attitude & Vernier Upper Module) fourth stage remains largely unchanged, the "+" reflects its increased propellant capacity. The third stage, Zefiro 9, remains the same.[7]

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.[8] 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.[9] Consequently, the next launch was delayed until late 2024 to allow for the rocket motor nozzle to be redesigned.[10]

Specifications

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Stages

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Main suppliers

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Building the Vega is a European multi-national effort led by Avio of Italy, which manages Vega development and oversees production as the prime contractor, and also builds the Zefiro 40, Zefiro 9 and AVUM+ stages. Europropulsion, a 50-50 joint venture of Avio and ArianeGroup, builds the P120C first stage. Dutch Space of the Netherlands builds the interstage between the first and second stages. The Italian Aerospace Research Centre builds the interstage between the second and third stages. Beyond Gravity of Switzerland builds the payload fairing and onboard GNC computer.[12] SABCA of Belgium builds the thrust vector control systems.[11]

Payload capacity

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Arianespace had indicated that the Vega C launcher is able to carry 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) to a circular polar orbit at an altitude of 700 km (430 mi).[13]

Because of its ability to carry heavier payloads, Beyond Gravity had to redesign the fairing of the Vega C. The new fairing is 3.3 m (11 ft) in diameter and over 9 m (30 ft) tall, which offers nearly double the payload volume of the original Vega, which had a fairing of 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) in diameter and over 7.8 m (26 ft) tall.[14]

Ascent timeline

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This timeline of a typical Vega C ascent profile and associated sequence of events includes two AVUM+ boosts. However, the flight profile is optimized for each mission.

Future

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Building on Vega C, the Vega E (or Vega Evolution) is a further development of the Vega family with a larger P160C first stage and the Zefiro 9 and AVUM+ third and fourth stages replaced with a single upper stage powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The improvements are expected to improve payload capacity by 25% over Vega C.[15] This design would enable multiple satellites to be launched into different orbits on a single launch. The engine for this new upper stage, the M10, was the result of a collaboration between Avio and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (KBKhA).[16][7] Successful testing of the engine was conducted in 2022,[17] and the maiden flight of Vega E is anticipated in 2027.[18] Launch Complex 3 at the Guiana Space Centre, which initially built for the Ariane 5, will be refurbished to support Vega E launches.[15]

Avio also plans to develop a new methane-fueled first-stage engine with plans to introduce a partially reusable rocket to eventually replace the Vega.[19]

List of launches

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Launch history

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Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
outcome
VV21 13 July 2022
13:13:17[20]
Vega C ELV
  • LARES 2
  • ALPHA
  • AstroBio CubeSat
  • CELESTA
  • GreenCube
  • MTCube-2
  • TRISAT-R
350 kg (770 lb) MEO Success
First flight of Vega C
VV22 21 December 2022
01:47:31[21]
Vega C ELV Pléiades Neo 5 & 6 1,977 kg (4,359 lb) SSO Airbus Defence and Space Failure
Earth observation satellites.[22] Failure due to loss of pressure of the Zefiro 40 second stage.[23]
VV25 5 December 2024
21:20:33[24]
Vega C ELV Sentinel-1C 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) SSO ESA Success
Third Sentinel-1 satellite. Return to flight for Vega C following the VV22 launch failure.[23]

Future launches

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The lead manufacturer is from Italy, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.
  2. ^ a b Engines can burn up to 612.5 seconds per burn and can burn up to five times. Maximum cumulative burn time of 924.8 seconds.

References

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  1. ^ "Vega C". CNES. Retrieved 7 December 2024. In service since 2012, Europe's lightest launcher, Vega, now offers a new variant, Vega-C (for Consolidated), with several enhancements to deliver more power and flexibility without increasing costs.
  2. ^ "Media backgrounder for ESA Council at Ministerial Level". esa.int. ESA. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  3. ^ Robinson-Smith, Will (3 September 2024). "ESA targets Wednesday night for swan song launch of its Vega rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  4. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-07-08). "Could Avio's Finalized Split from Arianespace Offer an Opening for Competitors?". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  5. ^ Amos, Jonathan (13 February 2012). "Vega launcher makes first flight". BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b "VEGA-C". Avio. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  8. ^ European Space Agency, ed. (2022-07-13). "Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  9. ^ "Europe's Vega C rocket fails on 2nd-ever mission, 2 satellites lost". Space.com. 21 December 2022.
  10. ^ Foust, Jeff (October 2, 2023). "ESA delays Vega C return to flight to late 2024". Spacenews.
  11. ^ a b c "Vega C Users Manual" (PDF). Arianespace. May 2018. p. 1-6. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  12. ^ "Vega-C: Top of new European rocket from Beyond Gravity | Beyond Gravity". www.beyondgravity.com. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
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  15. ^ a b "Avio presentation Euronext STAR Conference 2024" (PDF). Avio. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  16. ^ Bellomi, P.; Rudnykh, M.; Carapellese, S.; Liuzzi, D.; Caggiano, G.; Arione, L.; Gurtovoy, A.A.; Lobov, S.D.; Rachuk, V. S.; D'Aversa, E.; De Lillis, A.; Pellegrini, R. C. (2019-02-08). "Development of LM10-MIRA liquid oxygen – liquid natural gas expander cycle demonstrator engine". Progress in Propulsion Physics – Volume 11. pp. 447–466. Bibcode:2019EUCAS..11..447B. doi:10.1051/eucass/201911447. ISBN 978-5-94588-228-7. S2CID 139531422. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
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  25. ^ Pietrobon, Steven (10 October 2018). "Ariane Launch Manifest". Retrieved 16 October 2018.
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  32. ^ Cite error: The named reference sn-20230303 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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