Vega
Vega rocket passes readiness review for April return to flight
Avio spokesperson Francesco Delorenzo told SpaceNews that Vega was cleared for the upcoming Vega VV18 mission during a March 3 flight readiness review.
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.”
Investigation confirms improperly connected cables caused Vega launch failure
An independent investigation of a Vega launch failure in November confirmed that misconnected cables in the rocket’s upper stage doomed the mission and made recommendations to allow a return to flight in early 2021.
Avio CEO promises Vega’s rapid return to flight as CNES plots replacement satellite
The head of Italian rocket manufacturer Avio assured customers Nov. 19 that the company was working hard to return Vega to service following the rocket’s second failure in its last three launches.
Human error blamed for Vega launch failure
Arianespace executives said Nov. 17 that the failure of a Vega launch the previous day was caused when the rocket’s upper stage tumbled out of control due to incorrectly installed cables in a control system.
Vega launch fails after upper stage malfunction
The upper stage of a Vega rocket malfunctioned minutes after liftoff Nov. 16 from French Guiana, causing the loss of two satellites in the rocket’s second failure in its last three launches.
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.
Arianespace launches Vega on return-to-flight mission with 53 smallsats
European launch provider Arianespace conducted a successful return-to-flight mission of Vega, its light-lift rocket, on Sept. 2, completing the vehicle’s first launch in 14 months.
Yahsat hires new CFO • Vega launch delayed to August • Tim Peake joins Skyrora advisory board
Arianespace announced early Wednesday that it has pushed back the small launch vehicle's upcoming mission, carrying 53 smallsats, until at least Aug. 17.
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.
Guiana Space Center launches to resume in June
Europe’s South American spaceport will resume launch preparations in late May under new protective measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Synspective shifts launch of first satellite to Rocket Lab
Japanese synthetic aperture radar (SAR) company Synspective announced April 14 it will launch its first satellite with Rocket Lab after initially selecting Arianespace for that mission.
Avio, exempt from Italy’s coronavirus lockdown, seeks reopening of French Guiana spaceport
Since 60% of Avio’s revenue comes from manufacturing, the French government’s March 16 decision to suspend launches from the Guiana Space Center shouldn’t impact revenues as long as Europe’s South American spaceport reopens within two to three months, Ranzo said.
UAE’s Falcon Eye 2 satellite switched from Vega to Soyuz
Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, said Airbus, the satellite’s manufacturer, asked to switch from Vega to Soyuz to avoid further delays getting Falcon Eye 2 into orbit.
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.
Swiss startup ClearSpace wins ESA contract to deorbit Vega rocket debris
The mission, dubbed ClearSpace-1, is slated to launch in 2025 to capture and deorbit a 100-kilogram Vespa payload adapter an Arianespace Vega left in orbit after deploying ESA’s Proba-V remote-sensing satellite.
ESA setting aside funds for Vega launcher return to flight
The European Space Agency is preparing to allocate a few million euros to ensure Vega doesn’t have any repeats of its July launch failure, an agency official said Nov. 20.
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.
SpaceX says rideshare missions will launch on time, even if partly empty
SpaceX plans to launch regular Falcon 9 rideshare missions starting in March and won’t delay launches for tardy customers, a company executive said Oct. 8.
Arianespace reveals manifest, notes launch market variety
Orders for geostationary satellites are beginning to rebound in a market is far more varied than in the past.
