ESA’s Vega-C Returns to Flight

ESA’s Vega-C rocket returned to flight today almost two years after a failure that contributed to Europe’s loss of space launch autonomy. Coupled with delays in development of the large Ariane 6, Europe has had to buy launches from the U.S. company SpaceX, but the successful first launch of Ariane 6 this summer and Vega-C’s flight today puts Europe back in the space launch business.

The launch, VV25,  from Europe’s Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana on the northeast coast of South America was on time at 4:20 pm Eastern Standard Time (18:20 local time at the launch site).

#VV25????️????Rewatch the liftoff from @EuropeSpacePort!

With #Sentinel1 C @CopernicusEU satellite for @EU_Commission @defis_eu & @esa on board a Vega C rocket.

Sentinel-1C well on its way towards the Sun-Synchronous Orbit at an altitude of 700km. #DestinationSpace #Arianespace pic.twitter.com/y1si9BcjnQ

— Arianespace (@Arianespace) December 5, 2024

Vega-C is an upgrade of Europe’s small Vega rocket. The plan had been for Vega-C to take over from Vega in 2022 and its first flight on July 13, 2022 was a success. But it failed the second time on December 20, 2022, due to erosion of the carbon-carbon throat insert of the nozzle of the Zefiro-40 second stage engine.  It’s taken almost two years to be ready to fly again in part because of a separate failure during a static fire test on June 28, 2023 to test a new carbon-carbon nozzle material at prime contractor Avio.

Europe is recovering from a launch vehicle drought across all three classes of rockets — small, medium and large — brought on by the Vega-C failure, loss of access to Russia’s Soyuz medium-class rocket after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and delays in building the large Ariane 6 that created a one-year gap between the last flight of Ariane 5 and the first launch of Ariane 6 in July 2024.  ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher referred to Europe’s inability to launch its own satellites as a “crisis.”

But today’s Vega-C launch of Sentinel-1C marks a “triumphant return,” he said. Sentinel-1C is a high-resolution radar imaging satellite that is part of the European Union’s Copernicus earth observation satellite program.

“One moment combined two great European achievements today: the third launch of a Sentinel-1 satellite and the third launch of Vega-C, marking a triumphant return to form for both flagship European projects. It was exciting and touching to see the mix of the European launcher and Copernicus community and teams rooting each other on in true Team Europe form. With the insertion of Sentinel-1C into orbit, ESA continues a legacy of steadfast Sentinels protecting the Earth and exemplifies why Europe needs secured flights: because what we send to space provides benefits to Earth, and it all starts with a launch.”  — Josef Aschbacher

Vega-C can deliver 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds) to a 700 kilometer (435 mile) polar orbit, about 800 kg (1,763 pounds) more than Vega. It is 5 meters (16.5 feet) taller than Vega and has a larger fairing.

Separately, ESA’s Proba-3 solar and space physics mission was launched on India’s PSLV rocket today from Sriharikota, India.  Proba-3 is a pair of precision flying spacecraft that will create artificial solar eclipses to study the Sun’s corona. One will cast a shadow on the other within 1 millimeter accuracy, allowing eclipses for up to six hours at a time.