Avio’s Zefiro-40 firing

Avio’s Zefiro-40 solid rocket motor test-fire.

On 3 October 2024 the Zefiro-40, the second stage of the Vega-C rocket, was successfully fired by prime contractor Avio at its Salto di Quirra test facility in Sardinia, Italy. This video shows scenes from a second firing that followed a test of the motor in May 2024 and concluded the qualification tests for an improved engine nozzle design of the Zefiro-40.

The motor was installed on its horizontal test bench. The first test was performed under high operating pressure and with a short burning time, this test was conducted at a low operating pressure and burnt for longer, as expected and according to the test predictions. Two firings are standard procedure when preparing solid-fuel rocket motors for operations.

Zefiro-40 is a 7.6 m tall rocket motor, 2.3 m in diameter and is loaded with over 36 tonnes of solid propellant. It is just one of three solid-propulsion stages that are used by Vega-C, firing for 92 seconds with an average thrust of 1304 kN.

Zefiro-40 is developed and manufactured by Avio in their Colleferro factory near Rome, Italy.