Vega C
Arianespace seeks greater support from European governments
The head of Arianespace asked European governments to provide his company with more support in order to balance what he called government support of American competitors “with no precedent.”
Arianespace to launch four-satellite Airbus CO3D constellation aboard Vega C
Airbus signed a contract with Arianespace on Dec. 7 to launch a four-satellite optical Earth observation constellation aboard a Vega C rocket in 2023.
Europe’s P120C booster completes third and final static fire test
A solid rocket booster designed for Europe's next-generation Ariane 6 and Vega C launch vehicles completed a third and final static fire test Oct 7.
Vega C debut slips to mid-2021
Europe’s next-generation Vega C rocket won’t launch until at least the middle of 2021, the rocket’s manufacturer said Monday.
Avio seeking to compress Vega launch delays
Italian rocket builder Avio will keep a team of launch personnel in French Guiana from May through August in the hopes of completing three Vega launches this year, notwithstanding coronavirus-related slowdowns.
Arianespace could launch record 22 missions in 2020
Arianespace is poised to launch up to 22 missions this year, a number that would nearly double the company’s record.
Avio anticipates Vega C upgrade funding at ESA ministerial, Vega return to flight in March
Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo said during a Nov. 7 earnings call, said Vega is on track for a return to flight by March, though what payload will launch on the mission is still to be determined.
Italian team to build satellite for European Commission’s Govsatcom project
The Italian Space Agency on July 23 kick-started development of a communications satellite that Italy will share with other nations as part of the pan-European GovSatCom program.
Airbus to build four imaging satellites for French space agency, mulls 20-plus constellation
Airbus and the French Space Agency CNES have agreed to cofinance a constellation of four Earth observation satellites while leaving the door open for Airbus to finance additional satellites with other partners.
Avio gets ESA assurance for transition missions from Vega to Vega C
Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio, the Colleferro, Italy, company that builds the Vega and future Vega C rocket, said the ESA council session included missions for both Avio-built rockets during the transition years to Vega C.
Arianespace says full Ariane 6 production held up by missing government contracts
With the maiden flight of the Ariane 6 now 18 months away (in July 2020), Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël said the company had anticipated signing a manufacturing contract with ArianeGroup in the second part of last year to begin production beyond the first rocket.
Arianespace targets 12 launches this year, more counting OneWeb, Vega C debut
European launch provider Arianespace is planning to conduct a record number of Vega launches this year, and, if OneWeb is ready, a return to launching from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Thales Alenia Space to build ESA’s FLEX vegetation-monitoring satellite
Thales Alenia Space said Jan. 10 it received a contract from the European Space Agency worth approximately 150 million euros ($172.4 million) to build the Fluorescent Explorer satellite.
Italian military mulls smaller GEO satellites so it can launch them on Vega rockets
The Italian Ministry of Defense may use two satellites to replace a single existing satellite so that it can use the Italian-led Vega C or Vega E rocket, according to a defense official.
