1,500 kg.
Payload to circular polar orbit
Vega
The light launcher
Vega overview
The Arianespace commercial launcher family was expanded in 2012 with the addition of Vega, a new-generation vehicle for flights with small- to medium-sized satellite payloads. This European four-stage launcher is tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads under development or planned worldwide. Vega's target payload lift capability is 1,500 kg. on missions to a 700-km. circular orbit. Vega has an essential role within the family of European launchers, joining Ariane 5 (which is optimized for large satellites on missions to geostationary transfer orbit, and low-Earth orbits with very heavy payloads), and Soyuz (tailored for medium weight payloads for low-Earth orbit and certain smaller GTO spacecraft).
Vega overview
The Arianespace commercial launcher family was expanded in 2012 with the addition of Vega, a new-generation vehicle for flights with small- to medium-sized satellite payloads. This European four-stage launcher is tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads under development or planned worldwide. Vega's target payload lift capability is 1,500 kg. on missions to a 700-km. circular orbit. Vega has an essential role within the family of European launchers, joining Ariane 5 (which is optimized for large satellites on missions to geostationary transfer orbit, and low-Earth orbits with very heavy payloads), and Soyuz (tailored for medium weight payloads for low-Earth orbit and certain smaller GTO spacecraft).
AVIO S.P.A.
Industrial prime contractor
3-4 / year
Avg. launch rate
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29.9 m
Height -
3.025 m
Diameter -
137 t
Mass
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Vega brochure
PDF / 623 KB
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Vega User’s Manual
PDF / 11 MB
Standard mission
Industrial team
The Vega launcher program – tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads – is led by industrial prime contractor ELV S.p.A.
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Avio | Italy |
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CRISA | Spain |
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Dutch Space | Netherlands |
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EADS CASA | Spain |
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Europropulsion | France |
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Galileo Avionica | Italy |
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INSNEC | France |
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KB Yuzhnove | Ukraine |
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Oerlikon Contraves Italia (O.C.I) | Italy |
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RUAG Space | Switzerland |
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S.A.B.C.A | Belgium |
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SAFT | France |
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Stork Product Engineering | Netherlands |
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SNECMA Propulsion Solid | France |
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Thales | France |
Vega Milestones
Read more
More informations about Vega specifications only available on desktop and tablet website.
Payload fairing
AVUM – Attitude and Vernier Upper Module
The AVUM (Attitude & Vernier Upper Module) has a bipropellant main propulsion system to provide orbital injection, and a monopropellant propulsion system for roll and attitude control.
It is designed to inject different payloads into different orbits, and ensures the fine pointing of satellites prior to separation. At the end of the mission, it is deorbited under safe conditions to limit the amount of orbital debris.
The AVUM contains about 577 kg. of liquid propellant (UDMH/NTO), distributed in four tanks. It is powered by an engine derived from the re-ignitable RD-869, providing 2.45 kN of thrust. It contains also 38.6 kg. of hydrazine to supply two sets of three monopropellant thrusters to control roll and attitude.
ZEFIRO-9 third stage
The Vega’s second and third stages both use Zefiro solid rocket motors. These stages, each 1.9 meters in diameter, comprise a filament-wound carbon-epoxy case, with low-density EPDM insulation and a nozzle with flex-joints, equipped with electromechanical actuators to direct the thrust.
The Zefiro 9 third stage is 4.12 meters long and is loaded with 10,567 kg of solid propellant HTPB 1912, providing maximum vacuum thrust of 317 kN. Although it is the smallest solid rocket motor on Vega, it offers the longest burn time, of approximately 120 seconds.
ZEFIRO-23 second stage
The Vega’s second and third stages both use Zefiro solid rocket motors. These stages, each 1.9 meters in diameter, comprise a filament-wound carbon-epoxy case, with low-density EPDM insulation and a nozzle with flex-joints, equipped with electromechanical actuators to direct the thrust.
The Zefiro 23 second stage is 8.39 meters long, and is loaded with 23,814 kg. of solid propellant HTPB 1912, providing maximum vacuum thrust of 1 120 kN. It operates for approximately 78 seconds.
P80 solid propellant motor
Vega’s first stage is powered by a large single-piece solid rocket motor (SRM) containing 87,710 kg. of the solid propellant HTPB 1912. This SRM delivers maximum vacuum thrust of 3, 015 kN and burns for approximately 113 seconds prior to being jettisoned at an altitude of about 58 km.
The P80 first stage, a filament-wound carbon-epoxy case, has the same diameter (3 meters) as the solid boosters used on Ariane 5 and its overall length (11.2 meters) is similar to that of one of the longest segments of the solid booster.
