Vega
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.
Second stage blamed as Vega targets early 2020 return to flight
Investigators think Vega’s failure originated in the forward dome area of the Zefiro-23, the second of three solid-fueled stages the rocket expends to deliver satellites to orbit.
Space insurer Swiss Re leaves market
Jan Schmidt, the head of Swiss Re’s space underwriting division, said in an email obtained by SpaceNews that the decision to “cease Space underwriting with immediate effect” was driven by “bad results of recent years and unsustainable premium rates.”
Italy to increase space projects with “mirror programs” of European agencies
The Italian Space Agency has launched a new initiative to strengthen Italy’s space expertise by leveraging domestic companies to build spacecraft that complement pan-European programs.
Arianespace Vega launch fails, Emirati satellite lost
The fifteenth launch of a European Vega rocket ended in failure July 10, resulting in the loss of an imaging satellite for the United Arab Emirates.
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 completes manifest for Vega dedicated rideshare mission
Arianespace has finalized the payload for a Vega launch later this year that will carry more than 40 small satellites, the first in what the company hopes to be a series of dedicated rideshare missions.
Arianespace Vega launches Italian imaging satellite
European launch provider Arianespace conducted its third launch of the year March 21, orbiting a remote-sensing satellite for the Italian Space Agency on a Vega rocket.
Vega rocket-builder Avio sees revenue jump, new rockets progressing
Avio, the company that builds Europe’s light-lift Vega rocket and the future Vega C, reported a double-digit jump in revenue for its first full year as a publicly traded company.
GHGSat to accelerate business plan
SAN FRANCISCO — GHGSat of Montreal is accelerating plans to build and launch greenhouse gas monitoring satellites in response to strong market demand and the success of its first space-based sensor.
“We have at least a three to five…
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.
Arianespace Vega launches second Moroccan Earth-observation satellite
An Arianespace Vega rocket launched the Mohammed 6-B satellite for Morocco the evening of Nov. 20, placing the satellite in the same orbit as its twin satellite Mohammed 6-A that launched a year ago, also on a Vega rocket.
Arianespace Vega launches long-awaited Aeolus wind-mapping satellite
A European wind-mapping satellite 15 years in the making lifted off Aug. 22 on a Vega rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Vega’s long-awaited (small) successes
Although the mostly Italian Vega rocket was added to the Arianespace family in 2012, it’s only recently achieved tangible success in wooing the smallest spacecraft operators.
