List of Vega launches
Orbital launch vehicle by the European space agency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vega is an expendable launch system in use by Arianespace which was jointly developed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Development began in 1998 and the first launch took place from the Guiana Space Centre on 13 February 2012.[1]
It is designed to launch small payloads — 300 to 2,500 kilograms (660 to 5,510 lb) satellites for scientific and Earth observation missions to polar and low Earth orbits.[2] The reference Vega mission is a polar orbit bringing a spacecraft of 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb) to an altitude of 700 kilometres (430 mi).
The rocket, named after the star Vega,[3] is a single-body launcher (no strap-on boosters) with three solid rocket stages: the P80 first stage, the Zefiro 23 second stage, and the Zefiro 9 third stage. The upper module is a liquid rocket called AVUM. The improved version of the P80 stage, the P120C, is also used as the side boosters of the Ariane 6. Italy is the leading contributor to the Vega program (65%), followed by France (13%).[4] Other participants include Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.[5]
Vega C was developed for a maximum of 4 launches per year.[6] A new ESA contract signed in 2024 aims to increase that by 50% to 6 launches per year.[7] Five launches are planned for 2026.[8]
Launch statistics
Rocket configurations
1
2
3
4
5
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
'19
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
- Vega
- Vega C
- Vega C (scheduled)
Launch outcomes
1
2
3
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
'19
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
'26
- Failure
- Success
- Scheduled
Orbits
1
2
3
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
'19
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
'25
Past launches
Note: Date and time of start (as count-down zero, ignition or lift-off?) is listed in UTC. (Although local time at Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana, South America is UTC−3.)
2013–2019
| Flight | Date / time (UTC)[9] | Rocket | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VV01 | 13 February 2012 10:00:00 |
Vega | ELV | LEO | University of Bologna[10] | Success[11] | ||
| First Vega launch; Geodetic and Nanosatellite; | ||||||||
| VV02 | 7 May 2013 02:06:31 |
Vega | ELV | 254.83 kg (561.8 lb) [12] | SSO | Success[13] | ||
| First commercial launch; Earth observation satellite;[14] | ||||||||
| VV03 | 30 April 2014 01:35:15 |
Vega | ELV | KazEOSat 1 | 830 kg (1,830 lb)[15] | SSO | KGS | Success[16] |
| Earth observation satellite[17] | ||||||||
| VV04 | 11 February 2015 13:40:00 |
Vega | ELV | IXV | 1,845 kg (4,068 lb)[18] | TAO | ESA | Success[19] |
| Reentry technology demonstration; IXV deployed into a transatmospheric orbit, AVUM briefly entered a low Earth orbit before performing targeted de-orbit.[20][21][22][23][24] | ||||||||
| VV05 | 23 June 2015 01:51:58 |
Vega | ELV | Sentinel-2A | 1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[25] | SSO | ESA | Success |
| Earth observation satellite[26][27][28][29] | ||||||||
| VV06 | 3 December 2015 04:04:00 |
Vega | ELV | LISA Pathfinder | 1,906 kg (4,202 lb)[30] | Halo orbit Earth–Sun L1 | ESA / NASA | Success |
| Technology demonstrator[31][32] | ||||||||
| VV07 | 16 September 2016 01:43:35 |
Vega | ELV |
|
870 kg (1,920 lb)[33] | SSO | Success | |
| Reconnaissance satellite / Earth observation satellite[34][35] | ||||||||
| VV08 | 5 December 2016 13:51:44 |
Vega | ELV | Göktürk-1A | 1,060 kg (2,340 lb)[36] | SSO | Turkish Armed Forces | Success |
| Earth observation satellite[37] (IMINT, Reconnaissance) | ||||||||
| VV09 | 7 March 2017 01:49:24 |
Vega | ELV | Sentinel-2B | 1,130 kg (2,490 lb)[38] | SSO | ESA | Success |
| Earth observation satellite[39][40] | ||||||||
| VV10 | 2 August 2017 01:58:33 |
Vega | ELV | 632 kg (1,393 lb)[41] | SSO | Success | ||
| IMINT Earth observation satellite[42] | ||||||||
| VV11 | 8 November 2017 01:42:31 |
Vega | ELV | Mohammed VI-A (MN35-13A) | 1,110 kg (2,450 lb)[43] | SSO | Morocco | Success |
| Earth observation satellite[44] | ||||||||
| VV12 | 22 August 2018 21:20:09[45] |
Vega | ELV | ADM-Aeolus[46][47][48] | 1,357 kg (2,992 lb)[49] | SSO | ESA | Success |
| Weather satellite | ||||||||
| VV13 | 21 November 2018 01:42:31[50] |
Vega | ELV | Mohammed VI-B (MN35-13B)[50] | 1,108 kg (2,443 lb)[51] | SSO | Morocco | Success |
| Earth observation satellite | ||||||||
| VV14 | 22 March 2019 01:50:35[52] |
Vega | ELV | PRISMA[53] | 879 kg (1,938 lb)[54] | SSO | Italian Space Agency | Success |
| Earth observation satellite | ||||||||
| VV15 | 11 July 2019 01:53 |
Vega | ELV | Falcon Eye 1 | 1,197 kg (2,639 lb) | SSO | UAEAF[55] | Failure[56] |
| IMINT (Reconnaissance) – The VV15 launch failure was possibly caused by a thermal protection design flaw on the second stage's forward dome area,[57] and led to reassignment of the FalconEye 2 launch.[58][59] This also led to the highest recorded amount (US$411.21 million) for an insurance claim for a satellite launch failure.[60] | ||||||||
2020–present
| Flight | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customers | Launch Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VV16 | 3 September 2020 01:51:10[61] |
Vega | ELV | SSMS PoC Flight (53 satellites) | SSO | Various | Success | |
| Technology demonstration: launch of the Small Satellites Mission Service Dispenser (SSMS Dispenser) proof of concept flight carrying 53 microsatellites and CubeSats.[62] | ||||||||
| VV17 | 17 November 2020 01:52:20[63] |
Vega | ELV | SEOSat-Ingenio and TARANIS | 925 kg (2,039 lb) | SSO | CDTI and CNES | Failure |
| Earth observation satellite[64] and Study of the atmosphere of the Earth.[65] After ignition of the AVUM upper stage, a trajectory deviation caused failure. Satellites were valued at nearly US$400 million.[66] An assembly error (inverted control cable) was the suspected cause.[66] | ||||||||
| VV18 | 29 April 2021 01:50[67] |
Vega | ELV |
|
1,278 kg (2,818 lb) | SSO |
|
Success |
| Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) piggyback mission. | ||||||||
| VV19 | 17 August 2021 01:47[68] |
Vega | ELV | 1,029 kg (2,269 lb) | SSO |
|
Success | |
| Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) piggyback mission. | ||||||||
| VV20 | 16 November 2021 09:27:55[69] |
Vega | ELV | CERES 1/2/3 | 1,548 kg (3,413 lb) | Semi-synchronous | CNES/DGA | Success |
| SIGINT satellites.[70] | ||||||||
| VV21 | 13 July 2022 13:13:17[71] |
Vega C | ELV |
|
350 kg (770 lb) | MEO | Success | |
| First flight of Vega C | ||||||||
| VV22 | 21 December 2022 01:47:31[72] |
Vega C | ELV | Pléiades Neo 5 & 6 | 1,977 kg (4,359 lb) | SSO | Airbus Defence and Space | Failure |
| Earth observation satellites.[73] Failure due to loss of pressure of the Zefiro 40 second stage.[74] | ||||||||
| VV23 | 9 October 2023 01:36[75] |
Vega | ELV | SSO | Success | |||
| Earth observation satellites and Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) #5 rideshare mission with 10 cubesats. Two cubesats, ANSER-Leader and ESTCube-2, failed to separate from the payload adapter and likely burned in the atmosphere together with the adapter when it was deorbited.[76] | ||||||||
| VV24 | 5 September 2024 01:50 |
Vega | ELV | Sentinel-2C | 1,143 kg (2,520 lb) | SSO | Airbus Defence and Space | Success |
| Final flight of the base Vega configuration. Third Sentinel-2 Earth observation satellite.[77] The AVUM upper stage utilizes two propellant tanks from the larger AVUM+ upper stage of the Vega C rocket. These tanks underwent modifications after two of the original four tanks were discovered missing in 2023 and subsequently found crushed in a nearby landfill, rendering them unusable.[78][79] | ||||||||
| VV25 | 5 December 2024 21:20 |
Vega C | ELV | Sentinel-1C | 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) | SSO | ESA | Success |
| Third Sentinel-1 satellite. Return to flight for Vega C following the VV22 launch failure.[80] | ||||||||
| VV26 | 29 April 2025 09:15 |
Vega C | ELV | BIOMASS | 1,131 kg (2,493 lb) | SSO | ESA | Success |
| Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme. | ||||||||
| VV27 | 26 July 2025 02:03 |
Vega C | ELV | CO3D × 4 + MicroCarb | 1,320 kg (2,910 lb) | SSO | CNES | Success |
| The CO3D (Constellation Optique en 3D) is an Earth observation satellite constellation providing daily 50 cm (20 in) resolution stereo imagery for global 3D mapping; MicroCarb is a microsatellite measuring atmospheric CO₂ with 1 ppm accuracy to track global sources and sinks.[81][82] | ||||||||
| VV28 | 1 December 2025 17:21 |
Vega C | ELV | KOMPSAT-7 (Arirang-7) | 1,810 kg (3,990 lb) | SSO | KARI | Success |
| Earth observation satellite.[83][84][85] | ||||||||
Future launches
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket | Launch site | Payload | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | Vega C | ELV | SMILE | HEO |
| Joint Chinese-European Earth observation satellite. | ||||
| Q3 2026[86] | Vega C | ELV | KOMPSAT-6 (Arirang-6) | SSO |
| Earth observation satellite. | ||||
| October 2026 | Vega C[87] | ELV | Sentinel-3C | SSO |
| Third Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[88] | ||||
| 2026[89] | Vega C | ELV | IRIDE × ? | LEO |
| First launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation. | ||||
| 2026[90] | Vega C | ELV | PLATiNO-1 | SSO |
| Earth observation satellite. | ||||
| Q1 2027[91] | Vega C | ELV | Eagle-1 | LEO |
| Demonstrator satellite for the first European sovereign space-based quantum key distribution system.[92] | ||||
| 1H 2027[93] | Vega C | ELV | CSG-4 | SSO |
| Fourth COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Generation satellite. | ||||
| November 2027[94] | Vega C[87] | ELV | CO2M-A (Sentinel-7A) | SSO |
| Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| Q4 2027[95][96] | Vega C | ELV | ALTIUS, FLEX | SSO |
| ALTIUS is an ozone observation satellite. FLEX is an Earth observation satellite of the Living Planet Programme. | ||||
| Q4 2027[97][98][99] | Vega C[100] | ELV | FORUM | SSO |
| Earth observation satellite. Part of the Living Planet Programme. | ||||
| March 2028[101] | Vega C[87] | ELV | CO2M-B (Sentinel-7B) | SSO |
| Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| Q1 2028[102] | Vega C+ | ELV | Space Rider | LEO |
| Technology demonstration[103] | ||||
| Q4 2028[104] | Vega C[105] | ELV | CRISTAL (Sentinel-9) | Polar |
| Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| 2028[106] | Vega C[107] | ELV | CHIME-A (Sentinel-10) | SSO |
| Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| 2028[104] | Vega C[108] | ELV | Sentinel-3D | SSO |
| Fourth Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite.[88] | ||||
| 2028[109] | Vega C | ELV | Sentinel-2D | LEO |
| Fourth Sentinel-2 Earth observation satellite. | ||||
| Q3 2029[104] | Vega C[107] | ELV | CIMR-A (Sentinel-11A) | SSO |
| Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| 2029[110] | Vega C | ELV | ClearSpace-1 | LEO |
| Space debris removal demo. | ||||
| 2029[107] | Vega C | ELV | LSTM (Sentinel-8) | SSO |
| Copernicus Land Surface Temperature Monitoring. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| 2029[111] | Vega C | ELV | Harmony | LEO |
| Earth Explorer 10 Mission. | ||||
| 2029[112] | Vega C | ELV | SBG-TIR | LEO |
| Surface Biology and Geology-Thermal Infrared. | ||||
| 2030[106] | Vega C[107] | ELV | CHIME-B (Sentinel-10) | SSO |
| Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission. Part of the Copernicus Programme. | ||||
| TBD[89] | Vega C | ELV | IRIDE × ? | LEO |
| Second launch for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation satellite constellation. | ||||
| TBD[113][114] | Vega C[115] | ELV | SHALOM | SSO |
| Joint Italian-Israeli hyperspectral imaging satellite. | ||||
| TBD[116] | Vega C | ELV | PLATiNO-2 / MAIA | SSO |
| PLATiNO-2 will host the MAIA instrument payload. | ||||
| TBD[117] | Vega C | ELV | SSMS #6 | LEO |
| SSMS #6 rideshare mission. Delayed due to the VV22 Vega-C launch failure.[80] | ||||
