Vega, Vega-C,...

[Salo]

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Home/SEMIV1ASJMG_0.html

Vega completes mechanical system tests[/size]
 
21 April 2011
Europe's new Vega small launcher has taken the next step towards its maiden flight later this year with completion of mechanical testing of a full-scale mock-up at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
 
One particular test showed that the vehicle and the pad structure can withstand high winds during the hours before launch.

Wind blowing on the launcher generates vortices at the back of the vehicle's body, causing vibration as they are shed alternately on either side. If the vibration frequency matches the structure's resonance frequency, then the movement can become dangerously self-sustaining. The results showed excellent performance from the launch system.  
 
Other important work included Vega ventilation and thermal testing, inertial platform alignment and performance testing, and umbilical disconnection tests.

During thermal testing, the temperature of the vehicle, in particular the fairing and avionics, was monitored. The vehicle was exposed to the external environment to check the effectiveness of the design, both in normal and degraded conditions.

These tests were performed during daytime and night time to cover both launch situations.

A dry-run of the final countdown tested launch operations and the rollout of the mobile gantry.
   
Launch system tests continue
 
The mechanical and electrical interfaces between the vehicle and the ground segment are now being tested.

The operational procedures for integrating the launcher are being validated, along with its checkout, the loading of liquid propellants and the final preparation and readiness for countdown.

The electrical campaign is verifying avionics and software for the ground segment and the launcher equipment. Most of the automatic procedures to control and monitor the launch system have now been validated. The procedures for the countdown and specific Vega avionics, such as the thrust vector control system, are next in line.
   
On the mechanical side, the next job is verifying procedures where specific components and equipment need to be replaced when Vega is fully integrated in the mobile gantry.

Fluid tests are also being prepared. The AVUM restartable fourth stage will be filled with real propellant, which will finally validate the readiness of all launcher and ground segment procedures.

In the coming months, the Flight Readiness Review will give the final green light for the maiden qualification flight, in the second half of 2011.

This flight will be followed by five missions to demonstrate the system's flexibility.

Изображения весят до 8 МБ.

[Petrovich]

Выглядит как будто Шлядинский склеил  

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/civil/110921-vega-debut-pushed-january.html

Wed, 21 September, 2011
Vega Debut Pushed to January[/size]
By Peter B. de Selding

    PARIS - The maiden flight of Europe's Vega small-satellite launch vehicle will not occur before January but the European version of Russia's Soyuz rocket will fly twice in 2011, using both of its European-version configurations, European government and industry officials said Sept. 21.

    The Italian-led Vega rocket had been scheduled to fly in November or December. Maria Flamina Rossi, head of future-launcher planning at the 19-nation European Space Agency (ESA), said Vega is now on track for a January launch.

    Rossi made her remarks during the Space Access conference organized by Astech Paris Region, a group of companies that supply Europe's space sector.

    Sergio Scippa, head of commercial development at Avio, which is Vega's prime industrial contractor, agreed that the launch will be ready for January. [/size]

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1071.msg819763#msg819763

A couple of questions about Vega's first stage.  It's designation, P80, suggests that it is French.  Is it?

Yes, it's Snecma-built. Not sure about the geometry.

Minor nit: The P80 stage is built by the prime contractor Europropulsion, which is a subsidiary of Snecma.

Also: the P80 stage is monolithic in nature. See the attached image I pulled from an ESA presentation.

It's a 50-50 joint venture between Avio (Italy) and Snecma (France). The nozzle is French, the steel P230 casings are made by MAN (Germany) and the rest including the new P80 filament wound casings is Italian.

EUROPROPULSION

It's roughly an upgraded P230 segment + igniter + nozzle. The P230 has two such segments. There are some not very definite plans to apply the upgrades to the Ariane SRBs too, one day. Apparently that was a precondition for French involvement, although the French now appear to have set their sights on an all-liquid Ariane 6.

[Salo]

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/primo-stadio/

First stage - P80[/size]
P80 SRM + IS01 and IS12

The first stage of the Vega uses the biggest, most powerful one-piece solid-fuel engine ever built. The P80 relies almost entirely on Italian technology developed by Avio, and is made of innovative materials, such as carbon fibre, which are also used in the second and third stages. Exhaust nozzle components, are produced in France at the Snecma/Safran plants in Bordeaux.
Just under 11 m tall, this stage is 3 m in diameter, weighs 95 tons and burns ca 88 tons of solid propellant in little less than 2 minutes. The P80 generates a 300 ton thrust, the same as is produced by four Jumbo jets at take-off.
At the end of 2006, the first static bench test was carried out successfully at the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana. The results were confirmed in late 2007, when the P80 passed its qualification test with flying colours, also at Kourou.

Length:  11.714 m
Max diameter:  3.005 m
Mass at Lift-off:  95 021 kg
Burn time:  109.8 s
Total Impulse:  240 470 KN s
Structural Ratio:  7.67%

[/size]

[Salo]

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/secondo-stadio/

Second stage - Zefiro 23[/size]
Essentially a Z23 SRM

Zefiro 23, the engine powering the second stage of the Vega, was entirely designed and manufactured with Italian technologies developed at the Avio plant in Colleferro (Rome). This is another solid-fuel engine using Filament Winding technology. 7.5 m tall, it has a diameter of ca 2 m and weighs 26 tons, 24 of which is accounted for by the liquid fuel. Zefiro 23 has been designed to step into action after 107 seconds of lift-off and to take the launcher from 44 to 100 km from the earth in 80 seconds.
This engine passed its first test at the static bench in mid 2006 and passed its qualification test on 27 March 2008. Both tests were carried out at the Interforce Firing Range of Salto di Quirra in Sardinia.

Length: 8.451 m
Max diameter: 1.910 m
Mass at Lift-off: 26 563 kg
Burn time: 77.7 s
Total Impulse:  67 126 KN s
Structural Ratio:  7.50%

[/size]

[Salo]

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/terzo-stadio/

Third solid-fuel stage - Zefiro 9[/size]
Z9A SRM + IS23

Zefiro 9 is the engine adopted for the third stage of the Vega. Entirely designed and manufactured with Italian technologies developed at the Avio plant, it is 3.5 m tall and just under 2 m in diameter, it weighs 9 tons and burns 9 tons of solid fuel.
Zefiro 9 will be fired when Vega reaches an altitude of 100 km, and it will take the launcher up to 150 km from the earth in just two minutes.
In late October 2008, a bench test was successfully carried out on Zefiro 9A, an upgraded version of the engine powering the third stage of the launcher. This test, conducted at the Interforce Firing Range of Salto di Quirra in Sardinia, lasted 120 seconds and confirmed Zefiro 9A as the top-performing rocket engine in its class ever built in the world.

Length: 8.451 m
Max diameter: 1.910 m
Mass at Lift-off: 26 563 kg
Burn time: 77.7 s
Total Impulse:  67 126 KN s
Structural Ratio: 7.50%

[/size]   

[Salo]

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/quarto-stadio/

Fourth stage[/size]
AVUM & IS34

The upper module of the Vega, developed by Avio, has been designed to place the payload in the required orbit and to perform roll and attitude control functions.
It is called Attitude and Vernier Upper Module (AVUM) and comprises two separate sections: one housing the propulsion elements and another containing the platform for the avionics module.
The propulsion module performs the attitude control and axial thrust functions during the final stages of the flight, enabling the payload to be placed in its orbit. Unlike the previous stages, it is equipped with a liquid bipropellant system for primary manoeuvring, that uses nitrogen tetroxide as oxidising agent and unsymmetric dimethylhydrazine as propellant, both of them fed by pressurised Helium, and it has a cold gas attitude control system.
This stage is 1.72 m tall, 1.9 m in diameter and requires a total propellant load of between 250 and 400 kg, depending on its configuration and the mission to be performed.
Positioned above the engine, the avionics module contains the main elements of the avionic subsystem of the launcher.

Length: 1.742 m
Max diameter: 1.910 m
Mass at Lift-off: 1237 kg
Burn time: 694.5 s
Total Impulse: 1 702 KN s
Structural Ratio:  53.3%

[/size]
   

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/other-components/lps/

LPS[/size]

A Liquid Propulsion System based on a well proven bipropellant engine and an innovative Propellant Expulsion Device.
The Propellant Expulsion Device is made of a reinforced fluor polymer expulsion bladder.

Propellants    UDMH / NTO
Mixture ratio    2
Propellant Pressure (MEOP)    35.6 bar
Number of Propellant Tanks    4
Pressurisation Gas    Helium
Number of Gas Pressurisation Tanks    1
Specific Impulse    314,7 s
Total Impulse    1701,5 kN s
Burning time (max.)    694,5 s
Nominal Thrust in vacuum    2450 N
Total Propellant Mass (Max filling)    577,5 Kg

[/size]

[Salo]

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/payload-fairing/

Payload fairing[/size]

Include the fairing, the payload adapter and the relevant separation devices[/size]

[Блудный]

В речах по поводу "Галилео" прозвучало, что пуск в понедельник.

[anik]

В речах по поводу "Галилео" прозвучало, что пуск в понедельник

Первый пуск не ранее 26 января 2012 года, согласно http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php

[Блудный]

Первый пуск не ранее 26 января 2012 года

Своими ушами слышал про "Вегу", понедельник и "следующую тоже важную неделю".

Осталось понять - что имелось ввиду. Может испытания какие?

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2011/vs01-success.asp

The sustained mission pace will continue in early 2012 with the Spaceport's first flight of a lightweight Vega, as well as an Ariane 5 mission from French Guiana with the no. 3 Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to be orbited for servicing of the International Space Station.

[SpaceR]

Ого, сколько всего! Спасибо.

http://www.elv.it/en/launcher-vega/composizione-lanciatore/terzo-stadio/

Third solid-fuel stage - Zefiro 9[/size]
Z9A SRM + IS23

Zefiro 9 is the engine adopted for the third stage of the Vega. Entirely designed and manufactured with Italian technologies developed at the Avio plant, it is 3.5 m tall and just under 2 m in diameter, it weighs 9 tons and burns 9 tons of solid fuel.
Zefiro 9 will be fired when Vega reaches an altitude of 100 km, and it will take the launcher up to 150 km from the earth in just two minutes.
In late October 2008, a bench test was successfully carried out on Zefiro 9A, an upgraded version of the engine powering the third stage of the launcher. This test, conducted at the Interforce Firing Range of Salto di Quirra in Sardinia, lasted 120 seconds and confirmed Zefiro 9A as the top-performing rocket engine in its class ever built in the world.

Length: 8.451 m
Max diameter: 1.910 m
Mass at Lift-off: 26 563 kg
Burn time: 77.7 s
Total Impulse:  67 126 KN s
Structural Ratio: 7.50%

[/size]

- указаны данные по второй ступени.

[instml]

Vega getting ready for exploitation
 
28 October 2011

ESA PR 30 2011 - The Vega launch vehicle programme has recently taken several major steps towards operation: the decision has been made to start the qualification launch campaign; ESA and Arianespace have ordered four new launchers; studies for the launch of the LISA Pathfinder mission have started.
 
Launch campaign kickoff
 
The Flight Readiness Review (FFR) for the Vega launcher was held in Frascati, Italy on 13 and 14 October. Based on this review, the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) decided to start the Vega qualification launch campaign, with Arianespace's operating staff providing their support for this campaign. The stages for the qualification launcher arrived in Kourou on 24 October, and the launch campaign will start on 7 November 2011 with the transfer of the first stage to the launch pad. The first launch is scheduled for the end of January 2012.  
 
   
ESA and Arianespace have ordered four new Vega launchers
 
ESA, Arianespace and ELV, the launcher production prime, signed a contract in September for the production of four new Vega operational launchers. This contract complements the purchase of a first launcher in an agreement signed last year within the framework of the Verta contract, covering the five launches that follow Vega's qualification flight.
 
 
Studies under way for the LISA Pathfinder mission
 
The studies for the launch of the LISA Pathfinder scientific satellite of ESA, using a Vega launcher from the Verta batch, started at the end of September. The mission is scheduled for a launch window from October 2013 to September 2014.
 
   
A small launcher for Europe
 
Vega is Europe's new, small launcher. Its performance will perfectly complement that of the heavy Ariane 5 and medium Soyuz rockets. It is designed to cope with a wide range of missions and payload configurations in order to respond to different market opportunities.

In particular, it offers configurations able to handle payloads ranging from a single satellite up to one main satellite plus six microsatellites.

Vega is compatible with payload masses ranging from 300 kg to 2500 kg, depending on the type and altitude of the orbit required by the customers. The benchmark is for 1500 kg into a 700 km-altitude polar orbit.

Vega is an ESA programme funded by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.

The industrial prime contractor is ELV SpA, 70% of which is owned by Avio SpA and 30% by ASI. ELV is responsible for the development and production of the launcher and for its delivery and integration at the launch site.

As the future Vega launch service provider, Arianespace is responsible for launch operations.

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEME6CHURTG_index_0.html

[instml]

Кликабельно

[ronatu]

First Vega launch campaign aims for January liftoff
by Staff Writers
Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Nov 16, 2011

http://www.space-travel.com/reports/First_Vega_launch_campaign_aims_for_January_liftoff_999.html

Vega's first launch campaign began on 7 November with the transfer of the P80 first stage from the Booster Integration Building to the Vega Launch Zone at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011.

[Луноход]

Не внушаеть!

[LG]

Вега Союз Ангара...И все грозятся реальным железом.  А не многовато ли?

[Петр Зайцев]

Чем это хуже чем Протон, Союз, и Ангара-1.2 (или Космос-3М)?