Vega C

Vega C, or Vega Consolidation,^[1] is a European expendable, small-lift launch vehicle developed and produced by Avio. It is an evolution of the original Vega launcher, designed to offer greater launch performance and flexibility.

Vega C

Model of Vega C at Paris Air Show 2015
Function	Small-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Avio
Country of origin	European multi-national[a]
Size
Height	34.8 m (114 ft)
Diameter	3.4 m (11 ft)
Mass	210,000 kg (460,000 lb)
Stages	4
Capacity
Payload to SSO
Altitude	700 km (430 mi)
Orbital inclination	90°
Mass	2,300 kg (5,100 lb)
Payload to polar orbit
Altitude	500 km (310 mi)
Orbital inclination	88°
Mass	2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
Payload to equatorial elliptical orbit
Altitude	apogee: 5,700 km (3,500 mi) perigee: 250 km (160 mi)
Orbital inclination	6°
Mass	1,700 kg (3,700 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Vega
Comparable	Alpha Kinetica 1 Epsilon Minotaur Tianlong-2 PSLV Soyuz-2.1v
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Guiana Space Centre, ELV
Total launches	3
Success(es)	2
Failure(s)	1 (VV22)
First flight	13 July 2022
Last flight	5 December 2024
First stage – P120C
Height	13.38 m (43.9 ft)
Diameter	3.4 m (11 ft)
Gross mass	155,027 kg (341,776 lb)
Propellant mass	141,634 kg (312,250 lb)
Maximum thrust	4,323 kN (972,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	279 s (2.74 km/s)
Burn time	135.7 seconds
Propellant	HTPB / AP / Al
Second stage – Zefiro 40
Height	8.07 m (26.5 ft)
Diameter	2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Gross mass	40,477 kg (89,237 lb)
Propellant mass	36,239 kg (79,893 lb)
Maximum thrust	1,304 kN (293,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	293.5 s (2.878 km/s)
Burn time	92.9 seconds
Propellant	HTPB / AP / Al
Third stage – Zefiro 9
Height	4.12 m (13.5 ft)
Diameter	1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Gross mass	12,000 kg (26,000 lb)
Propellant mass	10,567 kg (23,296 lb)
Maximum thrust	317 kN (71,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	295.9 s (2.902 km/s)
Burn time	119.6 seconds
Propellant	HTPB / AP / Al
Fourth stage – AVUM+
Height	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Diameter	2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
Empty mass	698 kg (1,539 lb)
Propellant mass	492 kg (1,085 lb) of N2O4, 248 kg (547 lb) of UDMH
Powered by	1 × RD-843 (MEA)
Maximum thrust	2.42 kN (540 lbf)
Specific impulse	315.8 s (3.097 km/s)
Burn time	Up to 924.8 seconds (up to five burns)[b]
Propellant	UDMH / N2O4

Approved for development by the European Space Agency (ESA) in December 2014, Vega C was designed to accommodate larger institutional payloads and compete effectively in the commercial launch market.^[2] Initially marketed and operated by Arianespace, the ESA decided in August 2024 to empower Avio to directly commercialize Vega C and seek non-governmental customers. This transition is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2025.^[3][4]

Vega C, like its predecessor, is designed to launch small satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and sun-synchronous low Earth orbits.^[5] The reference Vega C mission places a 2,300-kilogram (5,100 lb) spacecraft into a 700-kilometre (430 mi) polar orbit, representing an 800-kilogram (1,800 lb) or 60% increase over the original Vega.  

Named after Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra,^[6] the rocket is a single-body launcher (no strap-on boosters) with three solid and one liquid stage. While Avio of Italy leads the Vega program, contributions come from companies in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Vega C introduces several key advancements over the original Vega. The first stage has been replaced by the more powerful P120C, the "C" refers to its common design allowing it to be used as a booster for the Ariane 6 launcher, enabling shared development costs. The second stage features the upgraded Zefiro 40. While the AVUM+ (Attitude & Vernier Upper Module) fourth stage remains largely unchanged, the "+" reflects its increased propellant capacity. The third stage, Zefiro 9, remains the same.^[7]

Vega rockets are launched from the ELV launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre. The Vega C's maiden flight on 13 July 2022 successfully delivered LARES 2 and six other satellites to orbit.^[8] 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.^[9] Consequently, the next launch was delayed until late 2024 to allow for the rocket motor nozzle to be redesigned.^[10]

Specifications

Stages

Stages[11]	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 (HTPB/AP/Al)	Solid (HTPB/AP/Al)	Solid (HTPB/AP/Al)	Liquid (UDMH/N2O4)
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

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. The Italian Aerospace Research Centre builds the interstage between the second and third stages. Beyond Gravity of Switzerland builds the payload fairing and onboard GNC computer.^[12] SABCA of Belgium builds the thrust vector control systems.^[11]

Payload capacity

Arianespace had indicated that the Vega C launcher is able to carry 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) to a circular polar orbit at an altitude of 700 km (430 mi).^[13]

Because of its ability to carry heavier payloads, Beyond Gravity had to redesign the fairing of the Vega C. The new 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.^[14]

Ascent timeline

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

Event[11]	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

Building on Vega C, the Vega E (or Vega Evolution) is a further development of the Vega family with a larger P160C first stage and the Zefiro 9 and AVUM+ third and fourth stages replaced with a single upper stage powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The improvements are expected to improve payload capacity by 25% over Vega C.^[15] This design would enable multiple satellites to be launched into different orbits on a single launch. The engine for this new upper stage, the M10, was the result of a collaboration between Avio and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (KBKhA).^[16][7] Successful testing of the engine was conducted in 2022,^[17] and the maiden flight of Vega E is anticipated in 2027.^[18] Launch Complex 3 at the Guiana Space Centre, which initially built for the Ariane 5, will be refurbished to support Vega E launches.^[15]

Avio also plans to develop a new methane-fueled first-stage engine with plans to introduce a partially reusable rocket to eventually replace the Vega.^[19]

List of launches

See also: List of Vega launches

Launch history

Flight	Date / time (UTC)	Rocket	Launch site	Payload	Payload mass	Orbit	Customers	Launch outcome
VV21	13 July 2022 13:13:17[20]	Vega C	ELV	LARES 2 ALPHA AstroBio CubeSat CELESTA GreenCube MTCube-2 TRISAT-R	350 kg (770 lb)	MEO	Italian Space Agency Sapienza University of Rome University of Montpellier University of Maribor	Success
	First flight of Vega C
VV22	21 December 2022 01:47:31[21]	Vega C	ELV	Pléiades Neo 5 & 6	1,977 kg (4,359 lb)	SSO	Airbus Defence and Space	Failure
	Earth observation satellites.[22] Failure due to loss of pressure of the Zefiro 40 second stage.[23]
VV25	5 December 2024 21:20:33[24]	Vega C	ELV	Sentinel-1C	2,300 kg (5,100 lb)	SSO	ESA	Success
	Third Sentinel-1 satellite. Return to flight for Vega C following the VV22 launch failure.[23]

Future launches

This section is transcluded from List of Vega launches. (edit | history)

Date / time (UTC) [25]	Rocket	Launch site	Payload	Orbit
Q1 2025[26]	Vega C VV26	ELV	BIOMASS	SSO
	Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme.
Q2 2025[27]	Vega C VV27	ELV	CO3D × 4	SSO
	Earth observation satellites
Q3 2025[28]	Vega C VV28	ELV	SMILE	HEO
	Joint Chinese-European Earth observation satellite.
October 2025[29]	Vega C VV29	ELV	Sentinel-1D	SSO
	Fourth Sentinel-1 satellite.
Q3 2025[30]	Vega C	ELV	KOMPSAT-6 (Arirang-6)	SSO
	Earth observation satellite.
Q3 2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #9	LEO
	SSMS #9 rideshare mission. Delayed due to the VV22 Vega-C launch failure.[32]
Q3 2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #7	SSO
	SSMS #7 rideshare mission.
Q3 2025[33]	Vega C[29]	ELV	Sentinel-3C	SSO
	Third Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[34]
Q3 2025[35]	Vega C	ELV	Space Rider	LEO
	Technology demonstration[36]
Q3 2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #13	SSO
	SSMS #13 rideshare mission.
November 2025[37]	Vega C	ELV	PLATiNO-2 / MAIA	SSO
	PLATiNO-2 will host the MAIA instrument payload.
Q4 2025[38]	Vega C	ELV	IRIDE × ?	LEO
	First launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation.
Q4 2025[38]	Vega C	ELV	IRIDE × ?	LEO
	Second launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation.
2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #8	SSO
	SSMS #8 rideshare mission.
TBD[39]	Vega C	ELV	PLATiNO-1	SSO
	Earth observation satellite.
2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #6	SSO
	SSMS #6 rideshare mission.
2025[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #10	SSO
	SSMS #10 rideshare mission.
2025[40]	Vega C	ELV	CSG-3	SSO
	Third COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Generation satellite.
2025[41]	Vega C	ELV	MicroCarb	SSO
	Earth observation satellite.
2025[42][43]	Vega C[44]	ELV	SHALOM	SSO
	Joint Italian-Israeli hyperspectral imaging satellite.
January 2026[45]	Vega C	ELV	KOMPSAT-7 (Arirang-7)	SSO
	Earth observation satellite[46][47]
Q2 2026[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #14	SSO
	SSMS #14 rideshare mission.
Q3 2026[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #15	LEO
	SSMS #15 rideshare mission to an equatorial orbit.
Q3 2026[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #16	LEO
	SSMS #16 rideshare mission to an equatorial orbit.
Q4 2026[33]	Vega C[29]	ELV	CO2M-A (Sentinel-7A)	SSO
	Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
2026[48]	Vega C	ELV	ALTIUS, FLEX	SSO
	ALTIUS is an ozone observation satellite. FLEX is an Earth observation satellite of the Living Planet Programme.
2026[49]	Vega C	ELV	ClearSpace-1	LEO
	Space debris removal demo.
2026[50]	Vega C	ELV	CSG-4	SSO
	Fourth COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Generation satellite.
2026[51]	Vega C	ELV	EAGLE-1	LEO
	Demonstrator satellite for the first European sovereign space-based quantum key distribution system.[52]
Q1 2027[33]	Vega C[29]	ELV	CO2M-B (Sentinel-7B)	SSO
	Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q2 2027[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #17	LEO
	SSMS #17 rideshare mission.
2027[53][54]	Vega C[55]	ELV	FORUM	SSO
	Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme.
Q2 2028[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #18	LEO
	SSMS #18 rideshare mission.
Q4 2028[33]	Vega C[56]	ELV	CRISTAL (Sentinel-9)	Polar
	Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q4 2028[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #19	LEO
	SSMS #19 rideshare mission.
2028[33]	Vega C[57]	ELV	Sentinel-3D	SSO
	Fourth Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[34]
Q2 2029[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #20	LEO
	SSMS #20 rideshare mission.
Q3 2029[33]	Vega C[58]	ELV	CIMR-A (Sentinel-11A)	SSO
	Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
Q4 2029[31]	Vega C	ELV	SSMS #21	LEO
	SSMS #21 rideshare mission.
2029[58]	Vega C	ELV	CHIME (Sentinel-10)	SSO
	Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
2029[58]	Vega C	ELV	LSTM (Sentinel-8)	SSO
	Copernicus Land Surface Temperature Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme.
2030[59]	Vega C	ELV	TRUTHS	LEO
	Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio-Studies.

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• List of Vega launches
• Solid rocket
• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems

Notes

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. 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

1. "Vega C". CNES. Retrieved 7 December 2024. In service since 2012, Europe's lightest launcher, Vega, now offers a new variant, Vega-C (for Consolidated), with several enhancements to deliver more power and flexibility without increasing costs.
2. "Media backgrounder for ESA Council at Ministerial Level". esa.int. ESA. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
3. Robinson-Smith, Will (3 September 2024). "ESA targets Wednesday night for swan song launch of its Vega rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
4. Parsonson, Andrew (2024-07-08). "Could Avio's Finalized Split from Arianespace Offer an Opening for Competitors?". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
5. Amos, Jonathan (13 February 2012). "Vega launcher makes first flight". BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
6. 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
7. "VEGA-C". Avio. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
8. European Space Agency, ed. (2022-07-13). "Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
9. "Europe's Vega C rocket fails on 2nd-ever mission, 2 satellites lost". Space.com. 21 December 2022.
10. Foust, Jeff (October 2, 2023). "ESA delays Vega C return to flight to late 2024". Spacenews.
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19. Clark, Stephen (2024-09-05). "The Vega rocket never found its commercial niche. After tonight, it's gone". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
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21. Clark, Stephen (21 December 2022). "Two Pléiades Neo Earth-imaging satellites lost in failure of Europe's Vega-C rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
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53. "Contract secures design for ESA's FORUM satellite". ESA. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
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External links

• Vega C – Arianespace
• Vega C – Avio
• Vega C – European Space Agency