Engineering:List of Vega launches

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Short description: Orbital launch vehicle by the European space agency
Vega
Sentinel-2 and vega.jpg
Vega's flight VV09 before its liftoff with the Sentinel-2B mission.
FunctionSmall-lift launch vehicle.
ManufacturerAvio
Country of originItaly,
European Space Agency[lower-alpha 1]
Cost per launchUS$37 million [1]
Size
Height30 m (98 ft)
Diameter3 m (9.8 ft)
Mass137,000 kg (302,000 lb)
Stages4
Capacity
Payload to polar orbit (700 km, i 90°)1,430 kg (3,150 lb)
Payload to elliptical orbit (1500 × 200 km,
i 5.4°)
1,963 kg (4,328 lb)
Payload to SSO (400 km)1,450 kg (3,200 lb)
Payload to Low Earth Orbit (200 km, i 90°)2,500 kg (5,500 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesCentre Spatial Guyanais, ELV
Total launches
  • 23
    • Vega: 21
    • Vega-C: 2
First flight13 February 2012 [1]
Last flight9 October 2023
First stage – P80[2][3]
Length11.7 m (38 ft)
Diameter3 m (9.8 ft)
Empty mass7,330 kg (16,160 lb)
Gross mass95,695 kg (210,971 lb)
Thrust2,261 kN (508,000 lbf)
Specific impulse280 s (2.7 km/s)
Burn time107 seconds
FuelHTPB (solid)
Second stage – Zefiro 23
Length8.39 m (27.5 ft)
Diameter1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Empty mass2,850 kg (6,280 lb)
Gross mass28,850 kg (63,600 lb)
Thrust871 kN (196,000 lbf)
Specific impulse287.5 s (2.819 km/s)
Burn time71,6 seconds
FuelHTPB (solid) [4]
Third stage – Zefiro 9
Length4.12 m (13.5 ft)
Diameter1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Empty mass1,315 kg (2,899 lb)
Gross mass11,815 kg (26,048 lb)
Thrust260 kN (58,000 lbf)
Specific impulse296 s (2.90 km/s)
Burn time117 seconds
FuelHTPB (solid) [5]
Upper stage – AVUM
Length1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
Diameter1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Empty mass147 kg (324 lb)
Gross mass697 kg (1,537 lb)
Engines1 × RD-843
Thrust2.42 kN (540 lbf)
Specific impulse315.5 s (3.094 km/s)
Burn time317 seconds
FuelUDMH / N
2
O
4

Vega is an expendable launch system in use by Arianespace which was jointly developed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Development began in 1998 and the first launch took place from the Centre Spatial Guyanais on 13 February 2012.[6]

It is designed to launch small payloads — 300 to 2500 kg satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and low Earth orbits.[7] The reference Vega mission is a polar orbit bringing a spacecraft of 1500 kg to an altitude of 700 km.

The rocket, named after the star Vega,[8] is a single-body launcher (no strap-on boosters) with three solid rocket stages: the P80 first stage, the Zefiro 23 second stage, and the Zefiro 9 third stage. The upper module is a liquid rocket called AVUM. The improved version of the P80 stage, the P120C, will also be used as the side boosters of the Ariane 6. Italy is the leading contributor to the Vega program (65%), followed by France (13%).[9] Other participants include Spain , Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.[10]

Launch statistics

Rocket configurations

Script error: No such module "Chart".


Launch outcomes

Script error: No such module "Chart".

Orbits

Script error: No such module "Chart".

Past launches

Note: Date and time of start (as count-down zero, ignition or lift-off?) is listed in UTC. (Although local time at Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana, South America is UTC–3.)

2012

Flight Date / time (UTC) [11] Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch Outcome
VV01 13 February 2012
10:00:00
Vega ELV LARES  • ALMASat-1  • e-st@r  • Goliat  • MaSat-1  • PW-Sat  • ROBUSTA  • UniCubeSat-GG  • Xatcobeo LEO University of Bologna[12] Success
First Vega launch; Geodetic and Nanosatellite;

2013

Flight Date / time (UTC) [11] Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch Outcome
VV02 7 May 2013
02:06:31
Vega ELV PROBA-V  • VNREDSat 1A  • ESTCube-1 254.83 kg (561.8 lb) [13] SSO ESA • VAST •

Tartu

Success
First commercial launch; Earth observation satellite;[14][15]

2014

Flight Date / time (UTC) [11] Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launch Outcome
VV03 30 April 2014
01:35:15
Vega ELV KazEOSat 1 830 kg (1,830 lb) [16] SSO KGS Success
Earth observation satellite [17]

2015

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV04 11 February 2015
13:40:00
Vega ELV IXV 1,845 kg (4,068 lb) [18] TAO ESA Success
Reentry technology demonstration; IXV deployed into a transatmospheric orbit, AVUM briefly entered a low Earth orbit before performing targeted de-orbit.[19][20][21][22][23]
VV05 23 June 2015
01:51:58
Vega ELV Sentinel-2A 1,130 kg (2,490 lb) [24] SSO ESA Success
Earth observation satellite [25][26][27][28]
VV06 3 December 2015
04:04:00
Vega ELV LISA Pathfinder 1,906 kg (4,202 lb) [29] Halo orbit Earth–Sun L1 ESA / NASA Success
Technology demonstrator[30][31]

2016

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV07 16 September 2016
01:43:35
Vega ELV PeruSat-1  • 4 Terra Bella satellites 870 kg (1,920 lb)[32] SSO Peruvian Armed Forces • Terra Bella Success
Reconnaissance satellite / Earth observation satellite[33][34]
VV08 5 December 2016
13:51:44
Vega ELV Göktürk-1A 1,060 kg (2,340 lb)[35] SSO Turkish Armed Forces Success
Earth observation satellite [36] (IMINT, Reconnaissance)

2017

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV09 7 March 2017
01:49:24
Vega ELV Sentinel-2B 1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[37] SSO ESA Success
Earth observation satellite[38][39]
VV10 2 August 2017
01:58:33
Vega ELV OPTSAT-3000  • VENµS 632 kg (1,393 lb)[40] SSO Italian Defense Ministry  • ISA/CNES Success
IMINT Earth observation satellite[41]
VV11 8 November 2017
01:42:31
Vega ELV Mohammed VI-A (MN35-13A) 1,110 kg (2,450 lb)[42] SSO Morocco Success
Earth observation satellite[43]

2018

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV12 22 August 2018
21:20:09 [44]
Vega ELV ADM-Aeolus[45][46][47] 1,357 kg (2,992 lb) [48] SSO ESA Success
Weather satellite
VV13 21 November 2018
01:42:31 [49]
Vega ELV Mohammed VI-B (MN35-13B) [49] 1,108 kg (2,443 lb) [50] SSO Morocco Success
Earth observation satellite

2019

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV14 22 March 2019
01:50:35 [51]
Vega ELV PRISMA[52] 879 kg (1,938 lb) [53] SSO Italian Space Agency Success
Earth observation satellite
VV15 11 July 2019
01:53
Vega ELV Falcon Eye 1 1,197 kg (2,639 lb) SSO UAEAF[54] Failure [55]

2020

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV16 3 September 2020
01:51:10 [56]
Vega ELV SSMS PoC Flight, D-Orbit,[57] Spaceflight Industries,[58] SITAEL[59] and ISISpace[60] microsatellites and cubesats (53 satellites). 756 kg (1,667 lb) [61] SSO Various Success
Technology demonstration: launch of the Small Satellites Mission Service Dispenser (SSMS Dispenser) Proof of Concept Flight.[62]
VV17 17 November 2020
01:52:20 [63]
Vega ELV SEOSat-Ingenio and TARANIS[64][65] 925 kg (2,039 lb) SSO Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) (Spain ) and Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), France Failure [66]
Earth observation satellite and Study of the atmosphere of the Earth. After ignition of the AVUM upper stage, a trajectory deviation caused failure. Satellites were valued at nearly US$400 million.[66] An assembly error (inverted control cable) was the suspected cause.[66]

2021

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV18 29 April 2021
01:50 [67]
Vega ELV Pléiades Neo 3  • NorSat-3  • Bravo  • ELO Alpha  • Lemur-2 × 2 1,278 kg (2,818 lb) SSO Airbus Defence and Space  • NOSA  • Aurora Insight  • Eutelsat  • Spire Global Success
Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) piggyback mission.
VV19 17 August 2021
01:47 [68]
Vega ELV Pléiades Neo 4  • BRO-4  • LEDSAT  • RADCUBE  • SUNSTORM 1,029 kg (2,269 lb) SSO Airbus Defence and Space  • UnseenLabs  • Sapienza University of Rome  • ESA  • C3S Hungary  • Reaktor Space Lab Success
Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) piggyback mission.
VV20 16 November 2021
09:27:55[69]
Vega ELV CERES 1/2/3 1,548 kg (3,413 lb) Semi-synchronous orbit (SSO) – New orbit by Vega CNES  • DGA Success
SIGINT satellites.[70]

2022

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV21 13 July 2022
13:13:17[71]
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[72]
Vega-C ELV Pléiades-Neo 5 • Pléiades-Neo 6 (VHR-2020 3/4) 1,977 kg (4,359 lb) SSO Airbus Defence and Space Failure
Earth observation satellites[73] Failure due to loss of pressure of the Zefiro 40 second stage.[74]

2023

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
Outcome
VV23 9 October 2023
01:36[75]
Vega ELV
  • THEOS-2
  • TRITON
  • ANSER × 3
  • CSC × 2
  • ESTCube-2
  • MACSAT
  • N3SS
  • PRETTY
  • PROBA-V CC
SSO
Success
Earth observation satellites and Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) #5 rideshare mission with 10 cubesats. Two cubesats, ANSER-Leader and ESTCube-2, failed to separate from the payload adapter and likely burned in the atmosphere together with the adapter when it was deorbited.[76]

Future launches

2024

Date / time (UTC) [11] Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
September 2024[77] Vega ELV Sentinel-2C SSO
Third Sentinel-2 Earth observation satellite.[78] Final launch of the base Vega configuration.[79]
15 November 2024[80] Vega-C ELV Sentinel-1C SSO
Third Sentinel-1 satellite. Return to flight for Vega-C following the VV22 launch failure.[81]
December 2024[82] Vega-C ELV KOMPSAT-6 (Arirang-6) SSO
Earth observation satellite.
TBD[83] Vega-C ELV EAGLE-1 LEO
Demonstrator satellite for the first European sovereign space-based quantum key distribution system.
TBD[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #8 SSO
SSMS #8 rideshare mission.
TBD[85] Vega-C ELV Sentinel-1D SSO
Fourth Sentinel-1 satellite.
TBD[86] Vega-C ELV BIOMASS SSO
Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme.
TBD[87] Vega-C ELV PLATiNO-1 SSO
Earth observation satellite.
TBD[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #6 SSO
SSMS #6 rideshare mission.
TBD[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #10 SSO
SSMS #10 rideshare mission.
TBD Vega-C ELV KOMPSAT-7 (Arirang-7) SSO
Earth observation satellite[88][89]

2025

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
Q1 2025[90] Vega-C[85] ELV Sentinel-3C SSO
Third Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[91]
Q1 2025[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #9 LEO
SSMS #9 rideshare mission. Delayed due to the VV22 Vega-C launch failure.[81]
May 2025[92] Vega-C ELV SMILE HEO
Joint Chinese-European Earth observation satellite.
Q2 2025[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #7 SSO
SSMS #7 rideshare mission.
Mid 2025[93] Vega-C ELV ALTIUS, FLEX SSO
ALTIUS is an ozone observation satellite. FLEX is an Earth observation satellite of the Living Planet Programme.
Q3 2025[94] Vega-C ELV Space Rider LEO
Technology demonstration[95]
Q3 2025[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #13 SSO
SSMS #13 rideshare mission.
November 2025[96] Vega-C ELV PLATiNO-2 / MAIA SSO
PLATiNO-2 will host the MAIA instrument payload.
Q4 2025[97] Vega-C ELV IRIDE × ? LEO
First launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation.
Q4 2025[97] Vega-C ELV IRIDE × ? LEO
Second launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation.
2025[98] Vega-C ELV CO3D × 4 SSO
Earth observation satellites
2025[99] Vega-C ELV CSG-3 SSO
Third COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Generation satellite.
2025[100] Vega-C ELV MicroCarb SSO
Earth observation satellite.
2025[101][102] Vega-C[103] ELV SHALOM SSO
Joint Italian-Israeli hyperspectral imaging satellite.

2026

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
Q1 2026[90] Vega-C[85] ELV CO2M-A (Sentinel-7A) SSO
Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q2 2026[90] Vega-C[85] ELV CO2M-B (Sentinel-7B) SSO
Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q2 2026[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #14 SSO
SSMS #14 rideshare mission.
Q3 2026[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #15 LEO
SSMS #15 rideshare mission to an equatorial orbit.
Q3 2026[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #16 LEO
SSMS #16 rideshare mission to an equatorial orbit.
2026[104] Vega-C ELV ClearSpace-1 LEO
Space debris removal demo.
2026[105] Vega-C ELV CSG-4 SSO
Fourth COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Generation satellite.

2027

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
Q2 2027[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #17 LEO
SSMS #17 rideshare mission.
2027[106][107] Vega-C [108] ELV FORUM SSO
Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme.
2027[109] Vega-E ELV LEO
Maiden flight of Vega-E.

2028

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
Q2 2028[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #18 LEO
SSMS #18 rideshare mission.
Q4 2028[90] Vega-C[110] ELV CRISTAL (Sentinel-9) Polar
Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q4 2028[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #19 LEO
SSMS #19 rideshare mission.
2028[90] Vega-C[111] ELV Sentinel-3D SSO
Fourth Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[91]

2029

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
Q2 2029[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #20 LEO
SSMS #20 rideshare mission.
Q3 2029[90] Vega-C[112] ELV CIMR-A (Sentinel-11A) SSO
Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q4 2029[84] Vega-C ELV SSMS #21 LEO
SSMS #21 rideshare mission.
2029[112] Vega-C ELV CHIME (Sentinel-10) SSO
Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
2029[112] Vega-C ELV LSTM (Sentinel-8) SSO
Copernicus Land Surface Temperature Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.

2030

Date / time (UTC) Rocket,
Configuration
Launch site Payload Orbit
2030[113] Vega-C ELV TRUTHS LEO
Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio-Studies.

See also

Vega-C rocket model being displayed at a Paris show in 2015
Mock-up of Ariane 6 including four P120C boosters, which will also constitute Vega-C's first stage.

Notes

  1. The European Space Agency brings together, in addition to Italy, 21 more sovereign states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark , Estonia, Finland , France , Germany , Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway , Poland , Portugal, Romania, Spain , Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom .

References

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