Vega C

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
Altitude400 km (250 mi)
Mass2,450 kg (5,400 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 inclination6°
Mass1,700 kg (3,700 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyVega
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesGuiana Space Centre, ELV
Total launches2
Success(es)1
Failure(s)1 (VV22)
First flight13 July 2022
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 × 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
[edit on Wikidata]

Vega C, or Vega Consolidation, is an expendable small-lift launch vehicle operated by Arianespace and developed and produced by Avio. It is an evolution of the original Vega launcher, designed to offer greater launch performance and flexibility. Development began after the December 2014 ESA Ministerial Council to address the need to accommodate larger institutional payloads and compete with more affordable launch providers.[1]

Like it's predecessor, Vega C is designed to launch small satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and low Earth orbits.[2] The reference Vega C mission is a polar orbit bringing a spacecraft of 2,300 kilograms (5,100 lb) to an altitude of 700 kilometres (430 mi), an increase of 800 kg (1,800 lb) over the original. The rocket, named after Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra,[3] is a single-body launcher (no strap-on boosters) with three solid and one liquid stage. The lead manufacturer to the Vega program is from Italy, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.

The Vega C incorporates several key improvements over the original Vega. The first-stage motor is replaced by the more potent P120C, a shared propulsion system with the Ariane 6 launcher. The second stage is the more powerful Zefiro 40, while the AVUM+ upper stage has more propellant than the original. The Zefiro 9 third stage remains unchanged.[4]

Vega rockets are launched from the ELV launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. Vega C's maiden flight on 13 July 2022 successfully delivered LARES 2 and six other satellites to orbit.[5] 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.[6] Consequently, the next launch was delayed until late 2024 to allow for the rocket motor nozzle to be redesigned.[7]

Specifications[edit]

Stages[edit]

Stages[8] 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 Solid Solid Liquid
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)[b]
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[edit]

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. CIRA builds the interstage between the second and third stages. RUAG of Switzerland builds the payload fairing. SABCA of Belgium builds the thrust vector control systems.[8]

Payload[edit]

Arianespace had indicated that the Vega launcher is able to carry 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) to a circular polar orbit at an altitude of 700 km (430 mi).[9]

Because of its ability to carry heavier payloads, RUAG Space of Switzerland had to redesign the fairing of the Vega C.

The 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.[10]

Ascent timeline[edit]

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

Event[8] 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[edit]

Building on Vega C, Vega E (or Vega Evolution) is a further evolution of the Vega C with the Zefiro 9 and AVUM+ third and fourth stage replaced with a cryogenic upper stage powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane. This variant offers even more flexibility than Vega C, with the ability to deliver multiple satellites into different orbits on a single launch.

As of March 2021 Avio is finalizing the development of the new M10 methane engine used in the new upper stage. The engine design is the result of a collaboration between Avio and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (KBKhA) ended in 2014.[11][4]

Avio successfully conducted the first series of testing of the M10 engine between May and July 2022[12] with the maiden flight of the Vega-E planned for 2027.[13]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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[edit]

  1. ^ "Media backgrounder for ESA Council at Ministerial Level". esa.int. ESA. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  2. ^ Amos, Jonathan (13 February 2012). "Vega launcher makes first flight". BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b "VEGA C". Avio. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  5. ^ European Space Agency, ed. (2022-07-13). "Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  6. ^ "Europe's Vega C rocket fails on 2nd-ever mission, 2 satellites lost". Space.com. 21 December 2022.
  7. ^ Foust, Jeff (October 2, 2023). "ESA delays Vega C return to flight to late 2024". Spacenews.
  8. ^ a b c "Vega C Users Manual" (PDF). Arianespace. May 2018. p. 1-6. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  9. ^ "Vega C Overview". Arianespace.
  10. ^ "Vega-C". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "First Half 2022 Financial Report". Avio (Press release). 9 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  13. ^ "First Half 2023 Financial Report" (PDF). Avio. Retrieved 10 September 2023.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vega_C&oldid=1233520445"