VEGA LAUNCHER: STATUS OF THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
- Paper number
IAC-08.D2.1.2
- Author
Mr. Stefano Bianchi, European Space Agency (ESA), Italy
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The new European Launch System Vega is currently in its final phase of development, with its main elements having been already, or currently undergoing, ground qualification. The Vega Launcher is a single body vehicle composed of three Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) stages, a liquid propulsion upper module (Attitude Vernier Upper Module, AVUM) and a fairing. The launch base for Vega is the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The four-staged vehicle is tailored to cover a wide range of small missions in low orbit for various inclinations, with its reference payload requirement of 1500 kg in a 700 km circular polar orbit. Vega has an essential role within the family of European launchers and will complement Ariane (which is optimized for large satellites for missions to GTO and LEO as well as escape missions) and Soyuz (tailored for medium satellites to LEO and small spacecraft to GTO as well as escape missions). This paper presents the status of the development activities for both Vega launcher vehicle and ground infrastructures in Kourou, as well as the preparation of the launcher exploitation. Several important programmatic milestones have been successfully achieved: the first stage motor, P80, has been qualified by the completion of two successfully ground firing tests, the last one performed in December 2007. The ground qualification of the second stage motor Zefiro 23 will be achieved in the coming months with a second motor firing test, whereas for the third stage Zefiro 9 solid rocket motor two additional motor firing tests are foreseen to be performed in order to qualify its improved version named Zefiro 9A. The AVUM upper stage test campaign is also foreseen in the first half of 2008, as an important step to achieve full stage qualification, including the Russian tanks and the Ukrainian liquid engine. Concerning the launcher system, an important test campaign (MOCO test) for the modal characterization of the launcher structure, has been performed in December 2007, by means of a full scale test in Ottobrunn. The Critical Design Review of the thrusters for the Roll and Attitude Control System is on-going, as well as the Phase 3 of the Hardware in the Loop test campaign (TVC integration test). Vega Ground Segment program is in its final development phase as well. The Launcher Qualification Review and the Ground Segment Qualification Review are planned for summer 2008. The first run of the Inert Static Vehicle combined test campaign (ISV1) for the validation of mechanical and fluids interfaces in Kourou is in preparation, as a first important step towards the launch campaign foreseen in late 2008.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.D2.1.2.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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