WASHINGTON — The European Space Agency is delaying the final flight of the original version of the Vega rocket because of a problem with the rocket’s upper stage. During a Dec. 14 briefing after a meeting of the ESA Council, agency officials said the next and final launch of the […]
Vega
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WASHINGTON — A Vega rocket successfully launched a dozen small satellites Oct. 8 while its more powerful version remains grounded for another year. The Vega rocket lifted off from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, at 9:36 p.m. Eastern. The launch was originally scheduled for Oct. 6 but scrubbed […]
Editor’s note: Arianespace scrubbed the planned Oct. 6 launch of its Vega rocket late in the countdown clock. The company is currently conducting checks to determine if it will go for a launch attempt at 9:36 p.m. EDT on Oct. 7. A Vega rocket may launch 12 satellites to orbit […]
WASHINGTON — The return to flight of Europe’s Vega C small launch vehicle has slipped to late 2024 after the European Space Agency concluded a rocket motor nozzle needs to be redesigned. ESA announced Oct. 2 the completion of an independent investigation into an anomaly that took place during a […]
TAMPA, Fla. — Launches for OQ Technology’s narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) constellation are set to resume Oct. 4 after Arianespace moved the Luxembourg venture to its next Vega mission, instead of an upgraded version of the rocket that failed last year. Arianespace had planned to launch OQ Technology’s European […]
WASHINGTON — A solid rocket motor for Europe’s Vega C rocket malfunctioned during a static-fire test June 28, likely pushing back the vehicle’s return to flight to 2024. In a June 29 statement, Avio, the Italian company that is the prime contractor for the Vega, said a Zefiro 40 motor […]
TAMPA, Fla. — ClearSpace has signed a contract with Arianespace to launch its first debris de-orbit mission on Europe’s Vega C rocket in the second half 2026, the Swiss startup announced May 9. Luc Piguet, ClearSpace co-founder and CEO, said its 700-kilogram servicer is slated to lift off from French […]
WASHINGTON — In a vote of confidence for a troubled launch vehicle, Arianespace won a contract from the Italian government for up to three Vega C launches of an Earth observation constellation. Arianespace announced March 14 it signed a contract with the European Space Agency, acting on behalf of the […]