Hoisting Zefiro-40 stage for Vega-C flight VV25 at the launch pad

            The second stage for the Vega-C rocket, flight VV25 with Earth-observer Sentinel-1C, being installed on the launch pad at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, 14 October 2024. 

Europe’s Vega-C rocket can launch 2300 kg into space, such as small scientific and Earth observation spacecraft. At 35 m tall, Vega-C weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad and reaches orbit with three solid-propellant-powered stages before the fourth liquid-propellant stage takes over for precise placement of satellites into their desired orbit around Earth. Vega-C is the evolution of the Vega family of rockets and delivers increased performance, greater payload volume and improved competitiveness. Complementing the Ariane family to launch all types of payloads into their desired orbits, Vega-C ensures that Europe has versatile and independent access to space.

See in this picture is the installation of second stage on top of the first stage at the launchpad. The second stage is powered by the new Zefiro-40 that contains about 36 tonnes of solid propellant, providing an average thrust of 1100 kN. The first stage P120C motor is one of the largest monolithic carbon-fibre solid-propellant rocket motors ever built in one piece. Its development relies on new technologies derived from those of P80, the current first stage motor of Vega, to provide a significant increase in thrust at liftoff. The P120C will also be used as the side boosters on the Ariane 6 rocket, creating an opportunity for Europe to scale up production by using it on two launch vehicles in parallel.

The launch in preparation marks Vega-C’s return to flight, a key step in restoring Europe’s independent access to space. The first commercial flight of Vega-C in December 2022 failed due to a nozzle issue in its Zefiro-40 motor. Since then, an improved nozzle design has undergone two successful firing tests, in May and October 2024, which demonstrated the motor's ability to perform reliably under different pressure conditions and burn durations. These tests have confirmed the motor's readiness, clearing the path for Vega-C’s upcoming flight.

Copernicus Sentinel-1C is the third Sentinel-1 satellite to be launched. Carrying advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface, the ambitious Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission has raised the bar for spaceborne radar. The mission benefits numerous Copernicus services and applications such as those that relate to Arctic sea-ice monitoring, iceberg tracking, routine sea-ice mapping, glacier-velocity monitoring, surveillance of the marine environment including oil-spill monitoring and ship detection for maritime security as well as illegal fisheries monitoring.

Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique video du CSG–S. Martin

Taken on: October 14, 2024

Tags:

Hissage

Zefiro 40

ELV

CSG

Guyane

VV25

Vega-C

Campagne lancement

Format portait

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Kourou

Guyane Française - French Guyana

ESA

European Space Agency

Space

Universe

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Space Science

Science

Space Technology

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Sets appears in: • Vega-C • Sentinel-1

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