European Vega launch vehicle declared fully operational

Copyright ESA The European Vega light satellite launch vehicle has been declared fully operational following its sixth and final fligh...

The European Vega light satellite launch vehicle has been declared fully operational following its sixth and final flight as part of European Space Agency-managed VERTA (Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment) program on December 3.

The Vega Flight VV06 successfully launched the LISA Pathfinder technology demonstrator for the European Space Agency (ESA) at 1:04 am local time from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana.

The third mission for Vega in 2015 will signal start of full-fledged commercial operations, under the responsibility of Arianespace.

The new-generation launch vehicle was developed to provide highly efficient access to low-Earth and Sun-synchronous orbits with a payload capacity of 1,500 kg into a 700-km circular polar orbit.

On its initial launch in February 2012, this light-lift vehicle demonstrated its mission flexibility by orbiting nine satellites.

The development of Vega was carried out in a multi-nationally-financed European Space Agency program, with the launcher’s design authority and prime contractor role performed by Italy’s ELV company – a joint venture of Avio and the Italian Space Agency (owned 70% by Avio and 30% by the Italian space agency).

Vega's next launch will be the first fully operational mission, within the scope of 10 Vega launchers that Arianespace purchased in October 2014 from ELV.

All six missions of Vega to date have been successful. They demonstrated the operational potential and versatility of the latest addition to Europe’s launch vehicle family, including missions to Sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit (Sentinel 2A), a ballistic trajectory mission (IXV reentry demonstrator) and insertion into transfer orbit for the L1 Lagrangian point (LISA Pathfinder).

Earth observation (EO) satellite launch mission currently accounts for the entire Vega order book: one-third for European governments and two-thirds for export customers, with strong demand from commercial companies such as Google and Skybox Imaging.

The four stage Vega is 30 m tall, 3 m in diameter and weighs 137 tons. It comprises three solid fueled stages weighing approx. 80, 23 and 9 tons, respectively. The engines were developed by Avio and features carbon composite casing.

The liquid fueled fourth stage with multiple re-ignition capability, designed to place the payload in the required orbit and to perform roll and attitude control functions, is also manufactured by Avio.

With the capabilities of all three vehicles in commercial service, Arianespace is targeting a flight activity level of approximately 10 missions annually from French Guiana – consisting of an average seven Ariane 5 flights per year, plus two Soyuz missions and a Vega launch.

LISA Pathfinder was developed in a European Space Agency program and built by prime contractor Airbus Defence and Space. Produced to study the ripples in space-time predicted by Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, this scientific space probe will operate from the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1).