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Fully assembled Vega VV02 in mobile gantry
Enabling & Support

Verta programme

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ESA / Enabling & Support / Space Transportation / Launch vehicles

The Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment programme, Verta, was set up in December 2011 to support Vega’s transition from development to full commercial exploitation in a highly competitive market.

It comprised three main elements:

  • Procurement of five Verta demonstration flights;
  • Customer service improvements;
  • Production accompaniment and technological activities.

The Verta flights carried three ESA missions: Proba-V, LISA Pathfinder and the Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV).

The first Verta flight took place on 7 May 2013 following the launcher’s qualification flight on 13 February 2012.

The main customer service improvement activity during the Verta programme was the development of the multiple-payload launch capability for Vega.

ESA’s IXV
ESA’s IXV

With a rate of at least two launches a year, the programme allowed the smooth introduction of this vehicle.

Vega’s first commercial launch contracts were signed on 14 December 2011 for the Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellites. Sentinel-2A was launched on 23 June 2015.

The Verta programme was completed on 3 December 2015 with the launch of LISA Pathfinder on Vega's sixth flight. Arianespace is now fully responsible for the commercial operation of Vega at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

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