Engineering:Vega C

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Short description: European small-lift launch vehicle
Vega C
Model of Vega C at Paris Air Show 2015
FunctionMedium-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerAvio
Country of originEuropean multi-national[lower-alpha 1]
Size
Height34.8 m (114 ft)
Diameter3.4 m (11 ft)
Mass210,000 kg (460,000 lb)
Stages4
Capacity
Payload to SSO2,300 kg (5,100 lb)
Payload to polar orbit2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
Payload to equatorial elliptical orbit1,700 kg (3,700 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyVega
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesGuiana Space Centre, ELV
Total launches5
Successes4
Failures1 (VV22)
First flight13 July 2022
Last flight26 July 2025 (most recent)
First stage – P120C
Length13.38 m (43.9 ft)
Diameter3.4 m (11 ft)
Gross mass155,027 kg (341,776 lb)
Propellant mass141,634 kg (312,250 lb)
Thrust4,323 kN (972,000 lbf)
Specific impulse279 s (2.74 km/s)
Burn time135.7 seconds
FuelHTPB / AP / Al
Second stage – Zefiro 40
Length8.07 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)
Thrust1,304 kN (293,000 lbf)
Specific impulse293.5 s (2.878 km/s)
Burn time92.9 seconds
FuelHTPB / AP / Al
Third stage – Zefiro 9
Length4.12 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)
Thrust317 kN (71,000 lbf)
Specific impulse295.9 s (2.902 km/s)
Burn time119.6 seconds
FuelHTPB / AP / Al
Fourth stage – AVUM+
Length2.04 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 N
2O
4, 248 kg (547 lb) of UDMH
Engines1 × RD-843 (MEA)
Thrust2.42 kN (540 lbf)
Specific impulse315.8 s (3.097 km/s)
Burn time924.8 seconds (up to five burns)[lower-alpha 2]
FuelUDMH / N
2O
4

Vega C, or Vega Consolidation,[1] is a European expendable, medium-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

Stages

Stages[11] Stage 1
P120C 		Stage 2
Zefiro 40 		Stage 3
Zefiro 9 		Stage 4
AVUM+
Height 13.38 m (43 ft 11 in) 8.07 m (26 ft 6 in) 4.12 m (13 ft 6 in) 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Diameter 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
Propellant type Solid
(HTPB/AP/Al) 		Solid
(HTPB/AP/Al) 		Solid
(HTPB/AP/Al) 		Liquid
(UDMH/N
2O
4)
Gross mass 155,027 kg (341,776 lb) 40,477 kg (89,237 lb) 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) 1,436 kg (3,166 lb)
Propellant mass 141,634 kg (312,250 lb) 36,239 kg (79,893 lb) 10,567 kg (23,296 lb) 740 kg (1,630 lb)
Average thrust 4,323 kN (972,000 lbf) 1,304 kN (293,000 lbf) 317 kN (71,000 lbf) 2.45 kN (550 lbf)
Burn time (sec.) 135.7 92.9 119.6 924.8 (up to 5 burns)[lower-alpha 2]
Specific impulse 279 s (2.74 km/s) 293.5 s (2.878 km/s) 295.9 s (2.902 km/s) 315.8 s (3.097 km/s)

Main suppliers

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

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

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.

Event[11] Time
(sec.) 		Altitude
km (mi) 		Velocity
m/s (ft/s)
P120C ignition & lift-off 0 0 0
P120C burn-out & separation, Zefiro 40 ignition 142 60 (37) 1,885 (6,180)
Zefiro 40 burn-out & separation 245 121 (75) 4,555 (14,940)
Zefiro 9 ignition 249 123 (76) 4,550 (14,900)
Fairing jettisoning 254 126 (78) 4,600 (15,000)
Zefiro 9 separation 417 190 (120) 7,564 (24,820)
AVUM+ 1st ignition 448 199 (124) 7,553 (24,780)
AVUM+ 1st cut-off 1,090 300 (190) 7,885 (25,870)
AVUM+ 2nd ignition 3,151 619 (385) 7,533 (24,710)
AVUM+ 2nd cut-off 3,287 623 (387) 7,631 (25,040)
Spacecraft separation 3,427 626 (389) 7,627 (25,020)

Future

Vega C+

A mid-life upgrade, the Vega C+ will feature the enlarged P160C first stage, replacing the P120C. This version has been extended by 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) and adds an additional 14 tonnes (31,000 lb) of propellant, enabling the launch of an additional 200 kilograms (440 lb) of payload.[15][16]

Vega E

Building on Vega C+, the Vega E (or Vega Evolution) is a further development of the Vega family with 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.[17] 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).[18][7] Successful testing of the M10 engine was conducted in 2022,[19] and the maiden flight of Vega E is anticipated in 2027.[20] Launch Complex 3 at the Guiana Space Centre, initially built for the Ariane 5, will be refurbished to support Vega E launches.[17]

Vega Next

For the Vega Next rocket, expected to be introduced after 2032, Avio plans to develop a new M60 engine, a larger version of the liquid oxygen and liquid methane fueled M10 engine. The M60 would be the building block for this launcher, and could potentially enable the development of a reusable first-stage.[21][16]

List of launches

See also: Engineering:List of Vega launches

Launch history

Flight Date / time (UTC) Rocket Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
outcome
VV21 13 July 2022
13:13:17[22] 		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[23] 		Vega C ELV Pléiades Neo 5 & 6 1,977 kg (4,359 lb) SSO Airbus Defence and Space Failure
Earth observation satellites.[24] Failure due to loss of pressure of the Zefiro 40 second stage.[25]
VV25 5 December 2024
21:20:33[26] 		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.[25]
VV26 29 April 2025
09:15[27][28] 		Vega C ELV BIOMASS 1,131 kg (2,493 lb) SSO ESA Success
Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme.
VV27 26 July 2025
02:03 		Vega C ELV CO3D × 4 + MicroCarb 1,320 kg (2,910 lb) SSO CNES Success
The CO3D (Constellation Optique en 3D) is an Earth observation satellite constellation providing daily 50 cm (20 in) resolution stereo imagery for global 3D mapping; MicroCarb is a microsatellite measuring atmospheric CO₂ with 1 ppm accuracy to track global sources and sinks.[29][30]

Future launches

This section is transcluded from List of Vega launches. (edit | history)

{{#section-h:List of Vega launches|Future launches}}

See also

Notes

  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. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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

  1. ↑ "Vega C". https://cnes.fr/en/projects/vega-c. "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. 27 November 2014. http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Ministerial_Council_2014/Media_backgrounder_for_ESA_Council_at_Ministerial_Level. 
  3. ↑ Robinson-Smith, Will (3 September 2024). "ESA targets Wednesday night for swan song launch of its Vega rocket" (in en-US). https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/09/03/esa-prepares-to-launch-swan-song-mission-for-its-vega-rocket/. 
  4. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-07-08). "Could Avio's Finalized Split from Arianespace Offer an Opening for Competitors?" (in en-US). https://europeanspaceflight.com/could-avios-finalized-split-from-arianespace-offer-an-opening-for-competitors/. 
  5. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (13 February 2012). "Vega launcher makes first flight". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16956324. 
  6. ↑ Tariq Malik (13 February 2012). "Europe Launches New Vega Rocket on Maiden Voyage". Space.com. http://www.space.com/14548-europe-launches-vega-rocket-maiden-voyage.html. "The Italian-built Vega rocket is named after the second-brightest star in the northern hemisphere" 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "VEGA-C". https://www.avio.com/vega-c. 
  8. ↑ European Space Agency, ed (2022-07-13). "Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight". https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Vega-C_successfully_completes_inaugural_flight. 
  9. ↑ "Europe's Vega C rocket fails on 2nd-ever mission, 2 satellites lost". 21 December 2022. https://www.space.com/arianespace-vega-c-launch-failure-december-2022. 
  10. ↑ Foust, Jeff (October 2, 2023). "ESA delays Vega C return to flight to late 2024". Spacenews. https://spacenews.com/esa-delays-vega-c-return-to-flight-to-late-2024/. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Vega C Users Manual". May 2018. p. 1-6. https://www.arianespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vega-C-user-manual-Issue-0-Revision-0_20180705.pdf. 
  12. ↑ "Vega-C: Top of new European rocket from Beyond Gravity | Beyond Gravity" (in en). https://www.beyondgravity.com/en/news/vega-c-top-new-european-rocket-beyond-gravity. 
  13. ↑ "Vega C Overview". Arianespace. https://www.arianespace.com/vehicle/vega-c/. 
  14. ↑ "Vega-C" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Launch_vehicles/Vega-C. 
  15. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (25 January 2025). "ESA Member States to Vote on Future of Space Rider in November". European Spaceflight. https://europeanspaceflight.com/esa-member-states-to-vote-on-future-of-space-rider-in-november/. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Half-Year Financial Report". 11 Sep 2024. https://avio-data.teleborsa.it/2024%2fAvio-S.p.A.-Half-Year-Report-at-June-30%2c-2024-(ENG)_20240911_080530.pdf. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Avio presentation Euronext STAR Conference 2024". 19 March 2024. https://avio-data.teleborsa.it/2024%2F20240319-STAR-conference_vDef_20240319_073833.pdf. 
  18. ↑ Bellomi, P.; Rudnykh, M.; Carapellese, S.; Liuzzi, D.; Caggiano, G.; Arione, L.; Gurtovoy, A.A.; Lobov, S.D. et al. (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. doi:10.1051/eucass/201911447. ISBN 978-5-94588-228-7. Bibcode: 2019EUCAS..11..447B. https://www.eucass-proceedings.eu/articles/eucass/abs/2019/01/eucass2019_447/eucass2019_447.html. Retrieved 2021-03-23. 
  19. ↑ "First Half 2022 Financial Report". Avio (Press release). 9 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "First Half 2023 Financial Report". https://avio-data.teleborsa.it/2023%2f2023-Half-Year-Financial-Report_20230908_104224.pdf. 
  21. ↑ Clark, Stephen (2024-09-05). "The Vega rocket never found its commercial niche. After tonight, it's gone." (in en-us). https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/the-vega-rocket-never-found-its-commercial-niche-after-tonight-its-gone/. 
  22. ↑ Atkinson, Ian (13 July 2022). "ESA launches upgraded Vega-C rocket on first mission". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/07/vega-c-debut-launch/. 
  23. ↑ Clark, Stephen (21 December 2022). "Two Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites lost in failure of Europe's Vega-C rocket". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/12/21/two-pleiades-neo-earth-imaging-satellites-lost-in-failure-of-europes-vega-c-rocket/. 
  24. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "Pléiades-Neo 1, 2, 3, 4 (VHR-2020 1, 2, 3, 4)". Gunter's Space Page. https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/pleiades-neo.htm. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Foust, Jeff (3 March 2023). "Nozzle erosion blamed for Vega-C launch failure" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/nozzle-erosion-blamed-for-vega-c-launch-failure/. 
  26. ↑ "Vega C | Sentinel-1C" (in en). https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/5134. 
  27. ↑ "Bye-Bye Biomass: forest monitoring satellite departs for final testing before launch". Airbus. 2 November 2022. https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-11-bye-bye-biomass-forest-monitoring-satellite-departs-for-final. 
  28. ↑ "ESA’s pioneering Biomass satellite arrives at launch site". ESA. 10 March 2025. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/ESA_s_pioneering_Biomass_satellite_arrives_at_launch_site. 
  29. ↑ "CO3D" (in fr). CNES. 16 October 2023. https://co3d.cnes.fr/en/co3d-0. 
  30. ↑ "MicroCarb". CNES. 19 April 2023. https://microcarb.cnes.fr/fr. 



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