Vega C: what is it?

Vega C is a small launcher in the process of development, of which the maiden flight is scheduled for July 2022. Successor to Vega, which totals 18 successful launches and two failures, Vega C gains in performance compared to its predecessor and reduces launch costs. With a take-off weight of 210 tons, the performance of Vega C is significantly increased compared to the 130 tons of Vega. As for Vega, Vega C will be built by the Italian company Avio on behalf of the European Space Agency. Arianespace will market and operate the launcher.

In terms of its payload capacity, Vega C will do much better than Vega, whose reference mission corresponded to the launch of a satellite of 1,500 kg on a orbit pole at an altitude of 700 km and which could carry payloads with a mass of between 300 and 2,500 kg. Unsurprisingly, Vega C improves on these performances with a reference mission of around 2,200 kg to be placed in this polar orbit. For its payload capacity, Vega C will be able to launch up to 3.3 tonnes into low orbit.

Vega C will be used to launch a variety of payloads, including the European Space Agency Space Rider. This vehicle is a kind of mini shuttle uninhabited, reusable space building on the heritage left by the IXV.

Ukraine conflict threatens Vega C launchers

It will be noted that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict impacts Vega C, which uses the Avum+ upper stage supplied by the Ukrainian company Louzhmach. This floor is an evolution of the Avum used by Vega. If the conflict with Russia were to drag on, which seems to be the case, the Ukrainian company might no longer be able to build and deliver them.

That said, the first three flights of Vega C, all scheduled for 2022, can be carried out because the European Space Agency had received three Avum+ stages before Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

This situation should accelerate the development of Vega E, a 100% European version of Vega, whose entry into service is planned for 2026. Unlike Vega and Vega C, which have 4 stages, Vega E will use three stages. Avio, who will direct the little rocketwill replace the 3^e stage and the AVUM+ stage by a single liquid propulsion stage equipped with a methane propulsion engine.