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By the numbers

• The Soyuz launch vehicle has been in continuous production since 1957, demonstrating its unmatched reliability with more than 1,700 missions to date.
• Vega is scheduled to enter operation in 2011 with a target payload lift capability of 1,500 kg. on missions to a 700-km. circular orbit.

Soyuz & Vega at the Spaceport

Payload passengers sought for Vega’s 2010 validation flight

September 3, 2008

Vega’s flexibility as a new-generation lightweight launcher will be demonstrated during five flights from Europe’s Spaceport – the first of which has been opened to proposals for candidate passenger payloads.

These five missions – which are called VERTA (Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment) flights – are designed to underscore Vega’s capabilities to the space community.  They are slated to start in mid 2010, following Vega’s qualification launch in November 2009.

Proposals for payloads to be carried on the initial VERTA mission are being accepted through September 30 by the European Space Agency (ESA) – which is overseeing the Vega launcher’s development.  Arianespace will operate Vega in commercial service from the Spaceport, and the company is working in conjunction with ESA on implementing the VERTA missions.

ESA issued the VERTA 1 mission’s announcement of opportunity for payloads this summer, which is open to any private or public entity, without restriction to nationality.
Primary objective of the VERTA 1 mission is to demonstrate the Vega launch system’s multiple-payload capability.  The mission profile currently under consideration is to a low-Earth, Sun-synchronous orbit in the 500–800 km. altitude range.  Final selection of the target orbit will be made by ESA on the results of responses to its announcement of opportunity, along with considerations of the best technical and economic compromise.
The following payload possibilities for VERTA 1 currently are under evaluation, with the final determination based on responses received from the international space community:

• Two spacecraft passengers, each with a mass in the 300–500 kg. range,
• One 300–500 kg. spacecraft, and several 100–150 kg. spacecraft,
• Multiple spacecraft with masses in the 100–150 kg. range.

In addition, the VERTA 1 mission will include a flight opportunity for a number of very small educational spacecraft, which will be the subject of a separate announcement of opportunity from ESA’s Education Office.

More details on the VERTA 1 flight opportunity are available from the ESA website.