47th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit AIAA 2011-5716

31 July - 03 August 2011, San Diego, California

VEGA Launcher: Final Preparation for Qualification Flight

Stefano Bianchi 1
ESA/ESRIN, Frascati (Rome), Italy, 00044

VEGA Launcher is being developed within a European Programme promoted by the

European Space Agency (ESA), as a cooperative project with Member States within the ESA
framework. The final development and qualification activities are running and will lead to
the Qualification Flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in late 2011. This paper
will present technical and programmatic milestones of the Vega Programme achieved so far,
including the status of development and qualification activities for the Vega Launcher as
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well as for the ground infrastructures and test campaign in Kourou.

I. Introduction

V EGA has an essential role within the family of European launchers; the four-stage vehicle is tailored to cover a
wide range missions in low orbit and will complement Ariane (which is optimized for large satellites and
missions to GTO and LEO as well as escape missions) and Soyuz (tailored for medium satellites to LEO and small
spacecraft to GTO as well as escape missions). Vega Programme is managed by an Integrated Project Team that,
under the responsibility of the European Space Agency, involves also staff from the Italian (ASI) and French
(CNES) Space Agencies. As a global synthesis, to complete the VEGA preparation for the first flight two main
milestones must be finalized: the Launch System Ground Qualification Review (LSGQR) and the Combined Test
Campaign in French Guiana.
The Ground Qualification Review of the Launch System started in March 2010. The main expected output of the
GQR independent assessment and verifications are:
 for the first flight readiness, to assess the flight readiness of the launch system, and to identify actions and
recommendations that shall be closed before the start of the launch campaign or before the flight.
 for the Vega Launch System qualification baseline, to assess the qualification status of the launch system,
to verify the conformity against the requirements of the “ generic “ Vega, and to identify actions and
recommendations, that if not linked to the maiden flight, will be closed following the first flight, in the
Exploitation flights phase (VERTA Programme).
The main objectives of the VEGA Launch System GQR are to verify that:
 The VEGA Launch System (i.e. Launch Vehicle, the first stage P80, and Ground Segment), including the
production facilities (to be finalised after the maiden flight), have successfully completed their ground
qualification phase.
 The first flight configuration is ready to fulfil the qualification flight objectives.

The LSGQR first step has been completed with the identification of the major criticalities that are currently
being assessed in the frame of the second step started in early 2011, linked also to the outcomes of the Combined
Tests.
For what concerns the Combined Test Campaign, this consists in a complete verification test plan between the
Inert Static Vehicle and the control bench infrastructure, thus validating all the test procedures that will be used
during the Launch Campaign. The test campaign is currently running with several parallel activities carried out in
Kourou at the Vega Launch Complex.
The qualification flight mission has been defined taking into account different targets: mitigation of risks
inherent to the first flight, representativity of the mission within the flight qualification domain, compliance with
ground/flight safety and programmatic constraints. In particular, due to the first flight larger uncertainties, specific
constraints are introduced in order to limit the risk linked to safety aspects, managed with a reduction of the Payload
mass acceptable in this specific frame.
The main passenger of the maiden flight is the LARES experiment developed by ASI. This spacecraft is a
satellite laser-ranging (SLR) experiment, completely passive with no sensors or on-board electronics. LARES will
be deployed at an altitude of 1450 km with 71 degrees of inclination. The main scientific objective of the LARES

1
Head of Vega Programme, ESA ESRIN, Frascati (Rome), Italy, 00044, AIAA Member.
1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Copyright © 2011 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.
 mission is the measurement of the dragging of inertial frame due to the Earth's angular momentum, or Lense-
Thirring effect, and a high precision test of the Earth's gravitomagnetic field. The secondary payloads of the maiden
flight are educational micro-satellites.

II. Vega Launch System

VEGA is a single-body launcher composed by three solid-propellant stages (P80, Zefiro 23, Zefiro 9), a liquid
propellant upper module (AVUM, Attitude Vernier Upper Module) and the Upper Composite (fairing and payload
adapter) see Fig.1. VEGA is compatible with payload masses ranging from 300 kg to 2500 kg, depending on the
type and altitude of the orbit required by the customer (an orbit altitude range between 300 and 1500 km).
The three Solid Rocket Motor stages perform the main ascent phase while the AVUM, the fourth stage,
compensates the solid propulsion performance scattering, circularizes the orbit and executes the de-orbiting
manoeuvres. This module also contributes to provide roll control during the SRMs’ boost phase, and 3-axes control
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during ballistic phases up to the payload separation.

Figure 1. Vega Launcher.

The three VEGA SRM stages use several common concepts and technology:
 CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic) case, with integrated skirts, obtained by filament wounding,
 Low density (internal) thermal protection,
 Igniters with consumable case,
 Low torque flexible joint,
 TVC (Thrust Vector Control) with electromechanical actuators (EMA).
SRM cases are manufactured by winding helical and hoop layers of a prepreg tow onto a metallic mandrel
already covered with the thermal insulation. The internal thermal protection is a low density EPDM rubber filled
with aramid fibres and glass micro-spheres. The propellant is a HTPB 1912 formulation with 19% of aluminium and
12% of binder. Tri-modal ammonium perchlorate distributions have been preferred for Zefiro 23 and Zefiro 9 for the
expected reduction of alumina slag deposit, whereas bi-modal distribution has been retained for the P80 essentially
for cost reduction.
The first stage, P80 FW SRM, is developed through a parallel ESA Program. The diameter of the first stage has
been set to 3 meters in order to exploit at the maximum the synergies with already existing Ariane SRM casting,
integration facility and tooling. The size of the P80 positions it as the largest monolithic SRM with a filament
winding (FW) CFRP motor case ever developed in the world. The second stage, Zefiro 23, loads 24 tons of
propellant. The third stage motor is a high mass fraction SRM, Zefiro 9A, with 10 tons of propellant.
The AVUM upper stage includes a bi-propellant (NTO/UDMH) Liquid Propulsion System (LPS) that provides
the necessary delta-velocities for reaching the final launcher orbit, and a monopropellant (hydrazine) Roll and
Attitude Control System (RACS) fulfilling the following main functions:

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  Roll control during flight,
 Attitude control during coasting phases,
 Attitude recovery during second stage separation,
 Payload pointing manoeuvre,
 Orbit control for the collision avoidance manoeuvre.
AVUM is placed between the third stage and the payload. It provides a mechanical interface with the payload
adapter, the fairing and the third stage separation system.

Vega Launcher’s avionic functions are distributed among hardware items and onboard software. They are split
into the following three subsystems:
 The GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) subsystem, grouping all acquisition and execution means, data
processing and data communication needed to the flight control function (during pre-launch and flight mission
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phases);
 The SAS (Electric Safeguard Subsystem), grouping all equipment for power generation, reception, processing
and transmission to ground needed by the safeguard functions;
 The TMS (TeleMetry Subsystem), grouping all acquisition, processing and transmission to ground needed by the
telemetry monitoring functions.
Power and harness are distributed over the above subsystems.

Figure 2. Vega ISV Model outside the Mobile Gantry at ZTL in French Guiana, Spring 2011.

The launch base for Vega is the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Maximum uses of existing
installations and ground infrastructure, as well as the requirements of the Kourou range safety, have driven the
development choices for the launch pad, launcher integration and control building.
Vega ground segment is mainly composed of the Vega Launch Zone (ZLV, Zone de Lancement Vega), formerly
Ensemble de Lancement #1 (ELA1) used for first Ariane launches. It includes the mobile gantry (MG) for the

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 integration and preparation of the Vega launcher as well as the bunker fitted with control-command front ends, air
conditioning, fluids, low current and safety systems.
The facilities are completed with the Control Room comprising two independent operational controls and
monitoring systems:
 The Vega Control Centre (CCV) and Check-Out equipment for Vega upper part;
 The housekeeping control-command system (CCS - Contrôle Commande Servitudes).
Main functions of the Vega ground segment are:
 The transport and storage of the payload, stages (P80, Z23, Z9, AVUM) and related equipments from their
production place to and in French Guiana (CSG);
 The final integration and acceptance tests of the first stage (P80);
 The integration and verification of the Vega Launcher;
 The preparation of the payload and its integration in the launch vehicle;
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 The preparation of the launch vehicle and of the launch pad facilities up to the lift-off;
 The tracking, monitoring and control of the launch vehicle during the flight;
 The post-flight analysis.

III. Status of the Qualification Activities LSGQR

After the closure of Launch System Critical Design Review (SCDR) in 2007 and several months of preparation,
the Launch Vehicle Ground Qualification Review started on 30th March 2010 and it’s now in its final phase.
The Launch Sytem Ground Qualification Review (LSGQR) is the first review of the Launch System
qualification process that includes, at the end, the exploitation of VERTA flights.
The Ground Qualification establishs the Launch System qualification baseline as the outcome of the
qualification tests of the qualified products and the Subsystems, and of the continued Launch Vehicle/Ground
Segment tests, so called Combined Tests. A final system verification loop is performed in order to confirm the
system design with respect to the qualification tests results at product and Subsystem level, and to ensure the
coherence of the Launch Vehicle, its interface with the Ground, and the operational readiness of the Ground
Segment. The LSGQR also assesses the suitability of the Launch System for the first qualification flight contributing
to the authorization process for starting the qualification flight campaign through the Flight Readiness Review
(FRR), and for the Launch through the Launch Readiness Review.
The LSGQR took place in two steps: the first one (called step 1) mainly devoted to the Launch Vehicle, the
second one (called step 2) integrating progressively the results of the Combined Tests impacting the Launch Vehicle
qualification, the results of the remaining system and subsystem analyses, and the production and cost aspects.
The Step 1 has been completed successfully on July 2010 with a limited number of well-identified actions and
recommendations to close before the next step. Step 2 has been kicked off on March 2011 and it incorporated the
outcomes of the Combined Tests campaign and the remaining open issues from the Subsystem qualifications; the
closeout is foreseen on end of September 2011.

IV. Combined Tests Campaign

The combined test campaign consists in a complete verification test plan between the Inert Static Vehicle and the
control bench infrastructure carried out to validate all the test procedures that will be used during the Launch
Campaign. The combined tests operations replicate as much possible the standard operations to be performed during
the qualification flight defined in the Standard Operations Plan. The operational concept is shown in Fig.3, where
MG is the Vega Mobile Gantry, and BIP, BPZ, HA and EPCU are the main assembly, integration and storage
facilities.
The combined test campaign is divided in four sub-campaigns:
 MDL: Mechanical campaign consisting in the integration of the whole launcher and system validations. The
campaign activities are mainly mechanical.
 MDPH: Campaign activities related to the validation of the payload operations, preparations and transfer to the
mobile gantry.
 MOEL: Electrical and software campaign.

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  MRA: Fluid campaign dedicated to the AVUM fluid operations, including propellant loading. There is an
additional sub-campaign, considered part of the MRA one, named pre-MRA for the fluid ground process
validations with propellant, originally part of the ground segment integrated tests.
These four sub-campaigns are grouped in two main campaigns at launch vehicle level, ISV1 that includes MDL,
MDPH and MRA, and ISV2 that corresponds to MOEL.
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Figure 3. Vega Operational Plan.

Across each sub-campaign, the activities are grouped according to five Vega stages (see Fig.4):
 A1: P80 first stage solid motor
 A2: Z23 second stage solid motor
 A3: Z9 third stage solid motor
 A4: AVUM fourth stage liquid motor
 A5: Payload and fairing (PAC)

The combined tests ISV1 campaign started in September 2010 with the preparation of the ground segment and
launcher equipment required for the transfer if the P80 first stage mock-up. The first stage transfer phase started on
20 October 2010 marking the beginning of the ISV1 operations. The assembly of the launcher mock-up continued
with the transfer and integration of the Z23 mock-up in on 14 December 2010, Z9 on 19 January 2011, AVUM on
31 January 2011 and finally PAC on 17 February 2011. The system tests were kicked off on 28 March 2011, after
which the dismounting phase begins in parallel to the degraded modes validation, now complete.
ISV2 campaign was formally kicked-off on 16 July 2010 with CCV/VES (Vega Electrical System) integration
and testing, and continued with the LN3 software validation started on 15 November 2010, and with the junction
box validation phase started on 17 February 2011.

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Downloaded by NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY on May 16, 2016 | http://arc.aiaa.org | DOI: 10.2514/6.2011-5716

Figure 4. Vega Stages.

Figure 5. Vega ISV Model inside Mobile Gantry in French Guiana, Spring 2011.
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 V. Vega Qualification Flight
After the closeout of the LS GQR and the Combined Tests Campaign, the Launch System will be submitted to
the Operational Readiness Review (ORR), anticipating the Flight Readiness Review (FRR) and enabling the starting
of the qualification launch campaign.
The qualification flight mission has been defined taking into account different targets: mitigation of risks
inherent to the first flight, representativity of the mission within the flight qualification domain, compliance with
ground/flight safety and programmatic constraints. In particular, due to the first flight larger uncertainties, specific
constraints are introduced in order to limit the risk linked to safety aspects and it is managed with a reduction of the
Payload mass acceptable in this specific frame. The main passenger of the maiden flight is the LARES experiment
developed by ASI. This spacecraft is a satellite laser-ranging (SLR) experiment, completely passive with no sensors
or on-board electronics. LARES will be deployed at an altitude of 1450 km with 71 degrees of inclination.
The main scientific objective of the LARES mission is the measurement of the dragging of inertial frame due to
Downloaded by NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY on May 16, 2016 | http://arc.aiaa.org | DOI: 10.2514/6.2011-5716

the Earth's angular momentum, or Lense-Thirring effect, and a high precision test of the Earth's gravitomagnetic
field. Gravitomagnetic fields and inertial frames drag are predictions of Einstein's theory of General Relativity.
The secondary payloads (ALMASat and Cubesats) of the maiden flight are educational micro-satellites.
The avionic and harness qualification review will be completed within august. The mechanical qualification
review of the Lares system was successfully completed and the final acceptance review in planned september.
For what concerns the Flight Units, manufactured equipments and subsystems are completing their path to the
final delivery passing through a First Article Readiness Review, checking the status of the item current definition
with respect to the qualified one, and the differences, if any, between the “as design” and “as built” configuration.
The assembled stages or main sub-assies of the Vega Flight Model, in agreement with the operational plan, will
be shipped to French Guyana during next months to start the Launch Campaign in Fall 2011.

Figure 6. Lares and secondary payloads configuration for Vega maiden flight.

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