ESA Signs Up For Vega Small Launcher And Solid Rocket Demonstrator

ROCKET SCIENCE

ESA Signs Up For Demonstration Of Vega Small Launcher

Artist's drawing of ESA's proposed Vega European small launcher programme

Paris - Feb 26, 2003
Today ESA signed a contract with the ELV company for completion of the development phase of the Vega European small launcher programme, and CNES signed, on behalf of ESA, a contract with FiatAvio for development of the P80 advanced solid propulsion stage and demonstrator.

The contracts were signed in Colleferro (Rome), on the FiatAvio industrial park, in the presence of representatives of the Italian Government, ESA, ASI, Arianespace, CNES and ELV.

Step 1 of the Vega small launcher programme was decided by the ESA Council in June 1998. Funding for both the Vega and P80 programmes was approved by the participating states in December 2000.

Italy is the leading contributor to the Vega programme with 65 %, other participants being Belgium (5.63%), France (12.43%), the Netherlands (3. 5%), Spain (5%), Sweden (0.8%) and Switzerland (1.34%). Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands are also contributing to the P80 programme.

ELV is the prime contractor for the Vega launcher. Its shareholders are FiatAvio (70%) and the Italian space agency, ASI (30%). FiatAvio is the prime contractor for the P80.

The Vega small launcher configuration consists of 3 solid stages: the P80 first stage, the Zefiro 23 second stage, the Zefiro 9 third stage and an upper liquid propulsion module, called AVUM.

Vega's target lift capability is 1500 kg and it will inject its payload into a circular orbit at 700 km altitude. The launch base to be used for Vega is the European Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana.

Arianespace will be the commercial operator for Vega. The first qualification launch is planned for mid-2006, with an expected frequency of 3 to 4 launches a year.

The P80 has twofold objectives: to serve as the first stage of the launcher and to develop new technologies for the future A5 solid booster.

An integrated project team (IPT), comprising staff from ESA and the Italian and French space agencies (ASI and CNES), will manage the Vega launcher contract and ensure overall system coherence. It is to be located at the ESA establishment near Rome, ESRIN.

The P80 contract will be managed, under the authority of the IPT, by CNES through a dedicated project team, including ESA and ASI staff. The P80 team is to be located at the CNES establishment in Evry, near Paris.

The values of these development contracts are: EUR 221m for the Vega launcher, and EUR 40m for the P80.

ROCKET SCIENCE

A Launch Pad For Vega

Paris - (ESA) Nov 19, 2001
ESA's new small launcher Vega, scheduled for its first launch at the end of 2005, will make its first journey into space from the former Ariane 1 launch pad, ELA1. A task force made up of members of ESA, CNES, Arianespace and ELV -- a newly created joint venture of the Italian space agency ASI and Fiatavio -- has agreed that ELA1 should be adapted for use by Vega.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.