. 24/7 Space News .
ROCKET SCIENCE
Arianespace signs contract for 10 Vega and Vega C launchers
by Staff Writers
Lyon, France (SPX) Oct 03, 2017


File image of an Arianespace Vega launch.

Arianespace and ELV/AVIO have announced the signature of a contract for Arianespace to order 10 Vega and Vega C launchers from the Italian manufacturer.

The signing ceremony was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Paolo Gentiloni, the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, at the Prefecture du Rhone, in Lyon, France, on the occasion of the 34th French-Italian summit.

The contract was signed by Giulio Ranzo, CEO of AVIO, signatory on behalf of ELV; and Luce Fabreguettes, Arianespace's Executive Vice President, Missions, Operations and Purchasing.

These 10 additional Vega and Vega C launchers will enter service starting in 2019, from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).

Following the successes of the 10 Vega missions to date, with 10 more launches already in the Arianespace order book, this contract confirms the long-term viability of the Vega light launcher, now established as the leading launch vehicle in its class. Vega is especially well suited to the launch of scientific or Earth observation satellites into low or Sun-synchronous orbits. It is fully available for European government and institutional missions, and offers equally high performance for other customers.

The higher-performance Vega C version will offer increased payload weight and volume, enabling it to carry out an even broader range of missions, from nano-satellites to larger optical and radar observation satellites - making it even more competitive.

Three of the first Vega C launchers have already been assigned to missions:

+ Two to orbit satellites in the Airbus Earth observation constellation, with contracts signed in June during the 2017 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.

+ One to launch a second-generation COSMO-SkyMed satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space on behalf of the Italian ASI space agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense.

Vega is part of the Arianespace launcher family, alongside the Ariane 5 heavy launcher and the Soyuz medium launcher, operated from the Guiana Space Center. The Vega launch system was developed through an ESA program financed by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.

ELV, a public-private joint venture owned by Avio (70%) and the Italian space agency (30%) based in Colleferro Italy, is the industrial prime contractor for Vega. The company is now responsible for all launcher preparations up to liftoff. Vega C will be operated under the same arrangements for its planned service entry in 2019.

Arianespace retains full responsibilities for customer relations, as well as for the final countdown operations and the launch decision.

During the signing ceremony, Avio's Giulio Ranzo, the signatory on behalf of ELV, said: "The agreement we signed [today], just over a month since the tenth successful launch of Vega, underlines, on one hand, the fruitful relationship with Arianespace and, on the other, the great reliability of our products as acknowledged by Arianespace's international customers."

Arianespace's Luce Fabreguettes added: "With these 10 additional launchers, Arianespace proudly teams up with its partners to ensure the sustained operation of Vega, along with the service entry of Vega C as from 2019 at the Guiana Space Center.

"This latest contract confirms the favored relationship built up by Arianespace and ELV/Avio, industrial prime contractor for Vega, for the success of our light launcher, which has rapidly established itself as the standard in its class. With 10 Vega and Vega C launches in its order book, Arianespace addresses the growing demand from both government and commercial customers for small satellite launch services, in particular for scientific and Earth observation missions."

ROCKET SCIENCE
Ariane 5 rocket aborts Guiana lift-off in final seconds
Cayenne (AFP) Sept 6, 2017
An Ariane 5 rocket carrying two commercial satellites aborted its launch in the final countdown as the main engine was being ignited for lift-off Tuesday from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana. "In the last seconds of Ariane Flight VA239 launch countdown as the Vulcain cryogenic main stage engine was being ignited, the checkout process detected an anomaly on the launcher, interrupting ... read more

Related Links
Arianespace
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com


Thanks for being there;
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 Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ROCKET SCIENCE
Space Cooperation Between China, Russia Needs Long-Term Mechanism

Mapping NASA's Space Missions

Aussie astronaut calls for establishment of national space agency

Supercontinuum lasers to inspire better beer, bread

ROCKET SCIENCE
What looks good on paper may look good in space

Demonstrator 3 linear aerospike ready to start tests

ISRO to resume satellite launches by December

Mechanisms are Critical to Space Vehicle Flight Success

ROCKET SCIENCE
Devilish Source of Dust in Atmosphere of Earth and Mars

3-D Analysis Offers New Info on Martian Climate Change, Age of Polar Caps

HIAD heat shield material feels the burn during arc jet testing

Hope to discover sure signs of life on Mars

ROCKET SCIENCE
China's cargo spacecraft separates from Tiangong-2 space lab

Work on China's mission to Mars 'well underway'

Chinese company eyes development of reusable launch vehicle

Spacecraft passes docking test

ROCKET SCIENCE
Australia to create national space agency

Thomas calls for new comprehensive Australian Space Agency at IAC address

AsiaSat 9 Set for Launch from Baikonur on September 29

CSU Launches Nation's First Space Law Center

ROCKET SCIENCE
Dosage formulations for anti-radiation drug being developed

Ultracold atoms point toward an intriguing magnetic behavior

UV-irradiated amorphous ice behaves like liquid at low temperatures

The 3-D selfie has arrived

ROCKET SCIENCE
Scientists propose new concept of terrestrial planet formation

The return of the comet-like exoplanet

New prediction of a detection wavelength for searching phototrophs on exoplanets

Hubble observes pitch black planet

ROCKET SCIENCE
Global Aerospace Corporation to present Pluto lander concept to NASA

Pluto features given first official names

Hibernation Over, New Horizons Continues Kuiper Belt Cruise

Jupiter's Auroras Present a Powerful Mystery









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - 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. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. 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. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.