Vega (launcher)

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Fact sheet
Vega
Vega rocket
Function	Small orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	ESA/ASI
Country of origin	Europe
Size
Height	30 m
Diameter	3 m
Mass	137,000 kg
Stages	4
Capacity
Payload to LEO	1,500 kg
Launch History
Status	In Development
Launch sites	ZLV (ELA-1), Centre Spatial Guyanais
Maiden flight	Planned for 2009
First Stage
Engines	1 P80
Thrust	3040 kN
Burn time	107 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Second Stage
Engines	1 Zefiro 23
Thrust	1200 kN
Burn time	71.6 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Third Stage
Engines	1 Zefiro 9
Thrust	213 kN
Burn time	117 seconds
Fuel	Solid
Fourth Stage
Engines	1 AVUM
Thrust	2.45 kN
Burn time	315.2 seconds
Fuel	UDMH/N2O4

Vega (Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata^[1], European Advanced Generation Carrier [Rocket]) is a planned expendable launch system developed jointly by the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency since 1998, with the first launch planned for 2009.

It is designed to launch small payloads: 300 to 2,000 kg satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and low earth orbits. It is named after the star Vega. It is a single body launcher with three solid rocket stages, the P80 first stage, the Zefiro23 second stage, the Zefiro9 third stage, and a liquid rocket upper module called AVUM.

The technology developed for the P80 program shall also be used for future Ariane developments. Italy is the leading contributor to the Vega program with 65%, other participants being France (12.43%), Belgium (5.63%), Spain (5%), The Netherlands (3.5%), Switzerland (1.34%) and Sweden (0.8%).

The reference VEGA mission is a polar orbit bringing a spacecraft of 1,500 kilograms to an altitude of 700 kilometers.

1 Engine tests
2 Future developments
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Engine tests

Each of the three engine types intended for the three stages of the Vega had to be commissioned with two test-firings: one for design evaluation, one in final flight configuration.

[edit] Zefiro 9

The first engine completed was Zefiro 9, the third stage engine. The first test firing was carried out on 20 December 2005, at the Salto di Quirra Inter-force Test Range, on the Mediterranean coast in southeast Sardinia. The test was a complete success.^[2]

After a critical design review based on the completed first test firings^[3], on 28 March 2007, the second test-firing of the Zefiro 9 took place at Salto di Quirra. After 35 seconds, there was a sudden drop in the motor's internal pressure, leading to an increased combustion time. ^[4]

[edit] Zefiro 23

The Zefiro 23 second stage engine was first fired on 26 June 2006 at Salto di Quirra. This test was successful, too.^[5]

The second test firing of the Zefiro 23 second stage engine took place on 27 March 2008 also at Salto di Quirra. This test was concluded successfully again which qualified the rocket engine.^[6]

[edit] P80

The first test firing of the P80 first stage engine took place on 30 November 2006 in Kourou, and the test was concluded successfully.^[7]

The second test firing of the P80 first stage engine took place on 4 December 2007 in Kourou. Delivering a mean thrust of 190 tonnes over 111 seconds, the engine's behaviour was in line with predictions.^[8]

[edit] Future developments

The future upgraded Vega (LYRA program) has exceeded the feasibility study and is planned to have new third and fourth low cost LOX/HC stages and a new guidance system. The purpose of the program is to upgrade the polar orbit payloads to up 2,000 kg.

	First Stage	Second Stage	Third Stage	Fourth Stage
Propulsion	P80	Zefiro 23	Zefiro 9	AVUM
Height	10.5 m	7.5 m	3.85 m	1.74 m
Diameter	3 m	1.9 m	1.9 m	1.9 m
Propellant mass	88 t	23.9 t	10.1 t	0.55 t
Thrust (max)	3,040 kN	1,200 kN	213 kN	2.45 kN
Nozzle expansion ratio	16	25	56	-
Burn time	107 s	71.6 s	117 s	315.2 s

[edit] References

^ ESA: Antonio Fabrizi: from 'nuts and bolts' to Europe’s launchers of today and tomorrow [1]
^ ESA: Successful first test for Vega's Zefiro 9 engine [2]
^ ESA: Vega Critical Design Review begins [3]
^ ESA: Anomalous behaviour affects firing test of Vega’s Zefiro 9 motor [4]
^ ESA: Vega's second stage motor roars to life [5]
^ http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSEBR03EF_index_0.html Successful qualification firing test for Zefiro 23
^ ESA: Successful firing of Vega’s first-stage motor in Kourou [6]
^ ESA: Vega main engine test in Kourou [7]