Author Topic: ESA - Vega Updates (Vega, Vega-C, Vega-E, etc. 2005 and forward)  (Read 260182 times)

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #220 on: 11/28/2017 10:17 am »
Small update ESA published new renderings of VEGA-C and Vega-E. Lets post one for both here:

Vega-C


Vega-E


It looks like Vega-E will have it's attitude control thrusters at the bottom of the VUS upper-stage. On AVUM they are just below the payload fairing, at the top of the stage.
« Last Edit: 11/28/2017 10:23 am by Rik ISS-fan »

Offline calapine

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #221 on: 11/30/2017 08:29 am »
ESA Press release, emphasis mine:


Quote
30 November 2017
ESA signed two contracts today with Italy’s ELV and Thales Alenia Space to extend Europe’s Vega space system capabilities and competitiveness.

ELV will develop and extensively test a new European cryogenic upper stage engine development model for Vega evolutions beyond 2025, based on low-cost liquid oxygen–methane propulsion.

The engine replaces the current Zefiro-9 solid-propellant motor and the AVUM upper stage engine for Vega-E, matching Vega-C performance at significantly reduced costs and improved flexibility.


In addition, complementing the Small Spacecraft Mission Services (SSMS) programme already under development, ELV will investigate how existing motors such as the P120, P80, Z40, Z23, Z9, could be used to create a family of Vega-E configurations able to place payloads of 200–2500 kg into orbit.

This will incorporate promising technologies in the areas of 3D layer-by-layer additive manufacturing, hydrogen peroxide as low-toxicity propulsion, and advanced avionics, offering competitive production and operational costs.

The contract concerning the Vega evolution activities worth €53 million was signed by ESA Director of Space Transportation Daniel Neuenschwander and ELV Managing Director Andrea Preve at ESA headquarters in Paris.

 
In parallel, Thales Alenia Space and ELV will complete the detailed mission and system design up to the Critical Design Review for Space Rider.

The Space Rider space transportation system will be integrated with Vega-C, combining an Orbital Service Module derived from a Vega-C AVUM and a reentry module derived from the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) demonstrator flown in 2015 on Vega.

It will provide Europe with an affordable reusable platform for routine access and return from space, with payloads capacity up to 800 kg to an array of orbit altitudes and inclinations for multiple applications such as advanced microgravity, in-orbit demonstration and validation for Earth observation, science, telecommunication and robotic exploration. 

The Space Rider design builds on technological and industrial knowhow from Vega, Vega-C and the IXV development and demonstrations.

 
Space Rider mission
Following on from the successful Vega–IXV mission, Space Rider will be launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, reach and stay in orbit as long as required to perform the payloads operations, deorbit and reenter performing a ground landing to return payloads to end users, and be refurbished and reused for the next mission.

The contract for Space Rider activities worth €36.7 million was signed by ESA Director of Space Transportation Daniel Neuenschwander, Thales Alenia Space Vice President Domain Exploration and Science Walter Cugno, and ELV Managing Director Andrea Preve at ESA headquarters in Paris.
 
The Vega and Space Rider development programmes provide the framework to consolidate a Vega space system able to capture the broadest market needs with Vega-C and its spin-offs products: SSMS, Space Rider, and the VEnUS Vega electric upper stage, covering access to low Earth orbit (LEO) for payloads up to 2300 kg, orbital transfer from LEO, and return from LEO, for a multitude of space applications in a competitive manner.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Vega_Evolution_preparation_and_Space_Rider_development
« Last Edit: 11/30/2017 08:30 am by calapine »

Offline Kosmos2001

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #222 on: 11/30/2017 08:55 am »
ELV? Isn't at Avio where all the design and development (and production) takes place? People in ELV only prepare the missions.

Offline calapine

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #223 on: 11/30/2017 08:59 am »
According to them, they do more than that:

Quote
ELV(European Launch Vehicle) is a company established by Avio and ASI (Italian Space Agency) in December 2000.

It develops, manufactures and delivers the European launcher called Vega and its evolutions with all associated technologies. The company is responsible for every aspect of system development, from the drafting of the specifications, through production, to its integration in the launch pad.
ELV’s primary tasks include managing and planning launcher design, development, qualification and production processes, by coordinating the activities of the subcontracts participating in the programme.

http://www.avio.com/en/about-us/group/elv/
« Last Edit: 11/30/2017 09:02 am by calapine »

Offline Kosmos2001

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #224 on: 11/30/2017 09:08 am »
According to them, they do more than that:

I was summing it up. I was there for a while ( :-X ) and I also met the Zefiro-9 designer and the current chief of liquid propulsion team which work at Avio, not ELV. I mean, in ELV they can simulate a lot of scenarios to find the optimum solution/design in terms of size and delta_v capabilities to fulfill the role but is in Avio where they have the propulsion division and the test facilities.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #225 on: 12/04/2017 08:04 pm »
http://www.avio.com/en/press-release/contracts-signed-with-esa-to-develop-vega-e-and-space-rider/

From Avio's press release

Quote
Today, Avio signed two contracts with ESA, the European Space Agency, in Paris to develop the Vega E launcher and the Space Rider re-entry vehicle, in line with market expectations. The contracts are worth a total of €89.7 million.

The first contract is to develop the Vega E launcher (Vega Evolution), a European project where Avio is the leader of around ten companies. The contract for this activity is worth €53 million.

Vega E is the medium-term evolution of the Vega launcher and, as such, features a high content of technological innovation and more compact three-stage architecture. The upper stage has a revolutionary liquid oxygen/methane engine, technology that gives it a very low impact on the environment and the capacity for multiple re-ignition, a feature giving the launcher more flexibility during orbital manoeuvres.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #226 on: 04/08/2018 07:47 am »
Zefiro 40 Engine Bench Test

Avio successfully tested the Zefiro 40 (Z40) engine, the second stage propulsion system of the Vega C satellite launcher, an evolution of the current Vega launcher scheduled to lift off for its maiden flight in 2019. This is the first functional test required to qualify this new propulsion system. During the test all of the parameters were gathered to calculate the engine’s behaviour at conditions very close to what the Z40 will encounter in actual operation: ignition at about 50 km above the earth’s surface after separation of the first stage P120.

« Last Edit: 04/08/2018 07:51 am by bolun »

Offline GWR64

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #227 on: 04/28/2018 07:28 pm »
from the Avio Annual-Report 2017 page 15

http://avio-data.teleborsa.it/2018%2fAvio-2017-Annual-Report_20180330_115021.pdf

Quote
Vega's second evolution, named Vega E and also funded via the 2016 Ministerial Conference, will
launch from 2024 a payload approx. twice the size of those currently launchable
and will allow Avio
to further its expertise in liquid propulsion.

optimistic goals  :)

Offline GWR64

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #228 on: 06/08/2018 06:02 pm »
https://www.airpressonline.it/33465/spazio-battiston-esri/

Quote
LA SECONDA GENERAZIONE DI COSMO-SKYMED

Tra la fine di quest’anno e l’inizio del prossimo, verrà inoltre lanciato il primo satellite della second generation di Cosmo-SkyMed. Nel 2020 partirà il secondo a bordo del primo Vega C, la nuova versione del piccolo lanciatore made in Italyrealizzato da Avio, l’azienda di Colleferro guidata da Giulio Ranzo. “Ora – ha aggiunto Battiston – siamo in fase di discussione per preparare le condizione per fare il terzo e il quarto”. In prospettiva, “nel 2025 dovremmo avere quattro satelliti operativi della seconda generazione, più il sistema Siasge in fase di passaggio tra i primi due i secondi”. Tutto questo, ha notato Battiston, permette di poterci presentare in Europa forti di “un servizio consolidato e di prospettiva”.

Google translate:
Quote
THE SECOND GENERATION OF COSMO-SKYMED

Between the end of this year and the beginning of the next, the first satellite of the second generation of Cosmo-SkyMed will be launched. In 2020 the second will be on board the first Vega C, the new version of the small made in Italy launcher made by Avio, the Colleferro company led by Giulio Ranzo. "Now - added Battiston - we are under discussion to prepare the conditions for making the third and fourth". In perspective, "in 2025 we should have four second-generation operational satellites, plus the Siasge system in transition between the first two seconds". All this, Battiston noted, allows us to be able to present ourselves in Europe with "a consolidated service and perspective".

The first Vega C launch (with Cosmos SkyMed SG 2) slips to 2020?
Is that translated correctly? And a solid information?   ???
« Last Edit: 06/10/2018 09:06 am by GWR64 »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #229 on: 06/24/2018 07:23 pm »
European industry gears up for Vega-C debut in 2019

21 June 2018

With just one year before Vega-C lifts off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, preparations for Europe’s next launcher are gaining momentum.

Vega-C will increase performance from Vega’s current 1.5 t to about 2.2 t hauled to its reference 700 km polar orbit, with no increase in launch costs.

Thrust in the first phase of flight comes from new solid-fuel first and second stage motors, P120C and Zefiro-40 respectively.

P120C’s upcoming first hot static-firing test at Europe’s Spaceport will prove the design, new materials, techniques, tools and components.

Developed by Europropulsion under contract to Avio and ArianeGroup, P120C is 13.5 m long and 3.4 m in diameter – the largest solid-propellant motor ever built in one segment. Two or four will also be used for Ariane 6.

Zefiro-40, developed and manufactured by Avio in their Colleferro factory, was static fired on 8 March in Sardinia. The resulting test data will guide the qualification and flight models design.

The AVUM+ upper stage, derived from the current Vega AVUM, has been improved. The liquid propellant capacity has been increased by about 150 kg and the structure has been optimised by using carbon composite sandwich panels. Developed by AVIO, it will improve the flexibility of the launcher to deploy one or more payloads thanks to its 2.45 kN main engine and new avionic equipment.

Vega-C’s 3.3 m diameter fairing can accommodate larger payloads. An ‘out-of-autoclave’ manufacturing technique developed by Ruag Space in Switzerland reduces cost, saves time and enables production of very large composite panels.

Electromechanical thrust vector control systems that guide and control the vehicle stages at each phase of flight are in development, harnessing leading-edge manufacturing processes to enhance performance.

The Vega launch pad and mobile gantry are being modified to accommodate Vega-C requiring a more powerful crane, new pallets, and modified fluid services.

The crane that will hoist Vega-C’s 40-tonne second stage has been installed in the mobile gantry, and is currently undergoing mechanical and lift qualification tests.

The next milestone in this ambitious schedule is the upcoming Vega launch using equipment that is ready for Vega-C leading into a period when launch facilities accommodate both vehicles.

https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/European_industry_gears_up_for_Vega-C_debut_in_2019

Image credit: ESA

Online jacqmans

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #230 on: 07/06/2018 01:26 pm »
Mobile gantry for Vega-C

Vega's mobile gantry is being modified to accommodate the Vega-C launch vehicle requiring a more powerful crane, new pallets, and modified fluid services. The Vega launch zone (ELV), comprises a permanent infrastructure (the bunker) and a mobile building (the gantry).

Vega-C is expected to debut in mid-2019, increasing performance from Vega’s current 1.5 t to about 2.2 t in a reference 700 km polar orbit, covering identified European institutional users’ mission needs, with no increase in launch service and operating costs.

The participating States in this development are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

 
Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja
Jacques :-)

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #231 on: 07/16/2018 04:59 pm »
SUCCESSFUL TEST FIRING FOR THE NEW CARBON FIBER P120C SOLID ROCKET MOTOR MANUFACTURED BY AVIO IN ITALY. IT WILL EQUIP THE FUTURE EUROPEAN LAUNCHERS, ARIANE 6 AND VEGA-C

Kourou – French Guiana, July 16th 2018.

The P120C solid rocket motor was successfully tested on the bench test at the European spaceport in Kourou (French Guiana). This successful test is a major step in the development of the future European launchers, Ariane 6 and Vega-C. Avio – a leading Italian company in the aerospace industry, which is listed at the Milan stock exchange – played a fundamental role in developing the P120C, the world’s largest monolithic carbon fiber solid rocket motor, by manufacturing it at its own site in Colleferro (Rome).

Giulio Ranzo, CEO at Avio Spa stated: “The success of the P120C static firing test is a key milestone on the Vega C and Ariane 6 development programs in view of the launchers maiden flights schedule for 2019 and 2020 respectively. A great technological achievement for its unique performance, the result of radical innovation combined with over 30 years of experience in solid propulsion through cooperation between Avio and Ariane Group.”

The P120C is entirely produced in carbon fiber materials. The motor case mass is around 8 tons with a propellant mass capacity of 142 tons. Thanks to more than 2-minutes combustion time, it generates an average thrust that is comparable to 15 jet engines powering modern passenger airplanes. The P120C will equip both Ariane 6 (in both its two-booster Ariane 62 and its four-booster Ariane 64 versions) and the first stage of Vega-C. This will allow up to 35 motors to be produced every year at Avio manufacturing site in Colleferro (Rome).

http://www.avio.com/en/news-en/successful-test-firing-for-the-new-carbon-fiber-p120c-solid-rocket-motor-manufactured-by-avio-in-italy-it-will-equip-the-future-european-launchers-ariane-6-and-vega-c/
« Last Edit: 07/16/2018 05:07 pm by bolun »

Offline SciNews

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #232 on: 07/17/2018 07:36 am »
Edited version of the first hot fire test for P120C development model

Online jacqmans

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #233 on: 07/17/2018 10:49 am »
Hot firing proves solid rocket motor for Ariane 6 and Vega-C

16 July 2018
Today's hot firing of the P120C solid-propellant motor at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana proves its flight-worthiness for use on Vega-C next year and on Ariane 6 from 2020.

This marks an important milestone in the development schedule of Europe’s new-generation launchers, designed to boost our autonomy in the space arena, and maintain Europe’s global competitiveness.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Hot_firing_proves_solid_rocket_motor_for_Ariane_6_and_Vega-C
« Last Edit: 07/17/2018 10:50 am by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline eeergo

Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #234 on: 07/18/2018 10:11 am »
Nice (albeit weirdly-narrated) video on P120C production and management:

-DaviD-

Offline SciNews

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #235 on: 07/19/2018 05:11 pm »
EuroNews: Love and rockets: Inside Italy's Vega launcher factory
« Last Edit: 07/19/2018 07:17 pm by SciNews »

Offline Hobbes-22

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #236 on: 08/01/2018 06:51 am »
The user manual for Vega C has been released:

http://www.arianespace.com/vega-c/


Offline SciNews

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #237 on: 08/09/2018 07:31 am »
WIRED UK: This is the fastest rocket on Earth https://www.wired.co.uk/article/avio-vega-c-rocket-esa-ariane-6
"The Vega E is due to launch in 2024."
images credit Fabrizio Giraldi

Offline hkultala

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #238 on: 08/09/2018 07:46 am »
WIRED UK: This is the fastest rocket on Earth https://www.wired.co.uk/article/avio-vega-c-rocket-esa-ariane-6

I'm quite sure FH on trajectory to pluto will have higher speed than any Vega variant can reach.


But they probably mean fastest-accelerating. Vega-C should have something like 2.4 G of initial acceleration?

(4.5 MN / 191 tonnes )
« Last Edit: 08/09/2018 07:59 am by hkultala »

Offline SciNews

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Re: ESA - Vega Updates
« Reply #239 on: 08/09/2018 10:02 am »
I'm quite sure FH on trajectory to pluto will have higher speed than any Vega variant can reach.
But they probably mean fastest-accelerating. Vega-C should have something like 2.4 G of initial acceleration?
(4.5 MN / 191 tonnes )
Vega reaches 50km in 110 seconds
Falcon Heavy reaches 50km in 140 seconds

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