ESA - Vega - Archive

ESA title

Vega first launched in 2012 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to complement Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane rockets. Vega-C, a more powerful variant with greater payload volume and improved competitiveness, took over this role with its inaugural flight on 13 June 2022. Vega-E is now in development to further increase performance while reducing launch service costs.

Last launch: VV25, Vega-C with Sentinel-1C, 5 December 2024 18:20 local time at Europe's Spaceport (21:20 GMT, 22:20 CET)

Next launch: VV26

Vega

Radar mission takes to the skies aboard Vega-C

Enabling & Support

Vega contracts for future operations and development

18/12/2024 1381 views 21 likes

FORUM

ESA signs launch contract for climate mission FORUM with Av…

18/12/2024 686 views 14 likes

Vega-C lifts off with Sentinel-1C

Double win for Europe: Sentinel-1C and Vega-C take to the s…

06/12/2024 10163 views 67 likes

Vega-C with Sentinel-1C on the launch pad

Enabling & Support

Vega-C complete for return to flight

04/12/2024 3288 views 30 likes

Artist's impression of Copernicus Sentinel-1C in its Vega-C launcher

Watch live: Vega-C to launch Sentinel-1C

29/11/2024 28189 views 47 likes

Lowering Zefiro-40 stage for Vega-C flight VV25 in the launch tower

Enabling & Support

Building Vega-C flight VV25 for Sentinel-1C

15/10/2024 2010 views 22 likes

Second Zefiro-40 test fire for Vega-C

Enabling & Support

Last rocket motor firing clears path for Vega-C launch

03/10/2024 3187 views 48 likes

Last Vega flight VV24 takes to the skies

Enabling & Support

Farewell to Vega

05/09/2024 1961 views 12 likes

Sentinel-2C takes to the skies

Sentinel-2C joins the Copernicus family in orbit

05/09/2024 11777 views 81 likes

Sentinel-2C being encapsulated in the Vega fairing

Sentinel-2C sealed in the Vega rocket fairing

23/08/2024 2771 views 40 likes

Sentinel-2C arrives in Kourou

Sentinel-2C arrives in French Guiana

22/07/2024 3815 views 44 likes

Enabling & Support

ESA Council decisions set the stage for more diverse Europ…

05/07/2024 4396 views 5 likes

Zefiro-40 hot fire test

Enabling & Support

Successful engine test boosts Vega-C towards return-to-flig…

28/05/2024 1405 views 7 likes

Science & Exploration

Smiles all round: Vega-C to launch ESA solar wind mission

30/04/2024 2603 views 33 likes

PRETTY is testing 'slant' reflectometry

Enabling & Support

Icy first light of shoebox-sized PRETTY CubeSat

07/03/2024 1224 views 7 likes

Vega VV23 liftoff

Enabling & Support

Vega flies to bring satellites to space

09/10/2023 12709 views 87 likes

Inspecting CubeSats

Enabling & Support

Shoebox-sized space labs being launched by Vega

06/10/2023 4309 views 47 likes

PRETTY is testing 'slant' reflectometry

Enabling & Support

Vega’s PRETTY CubeSat: unlocking satnav for Earth data

05/10/2023 2864 views 47 likes

Proba-V Companion CubeSat

Enabling & Support

Big Earth imager to be tested on small Vega CubeSat

04/10/2023 2530 views 57 likes

ESTCube-2

Enabling & Support

Vega’s ESTCube-2 tether to the future

03/10/2023 3235 views 68 likes

Enabling & Support

Vega's fuel-free CubeSats to keep formation with wings

27/09/2023 4980 views 86 likes

Vega-C VV21 liftoff 13 July 2022, Europe's Spaceport French Guiana

Enabling & Support

Behind the photo: Vega-C inaugural liftoff

02/09/2022 1088 views 9 likes

Vega C VV21 liftoff 13 July 2022, Europe's Spaceport French Guiana

Enabling & Support

Vega-C successfully completes inaugural flight

13/07/2022 10607 views 84 likes

The Vega-C Payload Assembly Composite (PAC) with LARES-2 has beenintegrated onto the Vega-C launch Vehicle on 7 July 2022 at Europe's Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana.

Enabling & Support

Vega-C: watch tomorrow's launch

12/07/2022 1263 views 1 likes

Vega C PAC rollout, VV21

Enabling & Support

T - 2 days to inaugural Vega-C launch: watch it live

11/07/2022 645 views 1 likes

The Vega-C Payload Assembly Composite (PAC) with LARES-2 has beenintegrated onto the Vega-C launch Vehicle on 7 July 2022 at Europe's Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana.

Enabling & Support

Vega-C: watch the launch

08/07/2022 18036 views 64 likes

Vega-C VV21 LARES-2 livery artists impression

Enabling & Support

Vega-C set for inaugural launch

04/07/2022 13571 views 90 likes

Enabling & Support

Vega-C inaugural flight VV21 media kit

04/07/2022 7896 views 58 likes

10 May 2022: The Vega-C Zefiro-9 third stage has now been transferred to and integrated at the Vega Launch Zone (Zone de Lancement Vega) ZLV at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana

Enabling & Support

Vega-C stacks up for inaugural flight VV21

11/05/2022 1939 views 10 likes

Vega-E is being targeted to fly from 2026 as the next evolution of the Vega launch system.

Enabling & Support

M10 engine test success marks key step toward Vega-E

06/05/2022 3935 views 14 likes

Enabling & Support

Vega-C: Launcher integration begins for inaugural flight VV…

26/04/2022 3555 views 57 likes

Radar vision

Ride into orbit secured for Sentinel-1C

08/04/2022 29285 views 100 likes

Launch of Vega VV20

Enabling & Support

ESA’s Vega rocket marks ten years with countdown to more po…

11/02/2022 3396 views 55 likes

FLEX

Ride into space on Vega-C secured for FLEX and Altius

11/01/2022 4133 views 92 likes

Artist's view of Vega-C

Enabling & Support

ESA contract to advance Vega-C competitiveness

16/12/2021 2557 views 51 likes

Launch of Vega VV20

Enabling & Support

Latest Vega launch paves way for Vega-C

16/11/2021 9008 views 45 likes

Vega liftoff on flight VV19

Enabling & Support

Vega launches Pléiades Neo and CubeSats

17/08/2021 23572 views 68 likes

Vega-E

Enabling & Support

ESA advances Vega rocket evolution beyond 2025

21/07/2021 15243 views 65 likes

Vega liftoff on flight VV18

Enabling & Support

Vega’s first launch this year

29/04/2021 4646 views 60 likes

Outlook on future European space transportation

Enabling & Support

ESA defines elements of future European space transportatio…

11/03/2021 11462 views 132 likes

Space Rider

Enabling & Support

ESA signs contracts for reusable Space Rider up to maiden f…

09/12/2020 10804 views 94 likes

Artist's view of Ariane 6 and Vega-C

Enabling & Support

ESA lays out roadmap to Vega-C and Ariane 6 flights

29/10/2020 8713 views 40 likes

Artist's view of Vega-C

Enabling & Support

All solid motors for Vega-C complete qualification tests

23/10/2020 4006 views 51 likes

Vega debuts rideshare launch service with 53 satellites.

Enabling & Support

Vega’s return to flight

04/09/2020 3156 views 33 likes

Vega lifts off on its first rideshare launch dedicated to light satellites using its new Small Spacecraft Mission Service dispenser.

Enabling & Support

Vega return to flight proves new rideshare service

03/09/2020 8004 views 62 likes

Artist's view of Vega flight VV16 with the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) dispenser

Enabling & Support

Watch Vega rideshare launch live

31/08/2020 38494 views 257 likes

Artist's view of Vega flight VV16 with the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) dispenser and SAT-AIS.

Enabling & Support

Rideshare service for light satellites to launch on Vega

12/06/2020 11229 views 51 likes

Hot firing of M10 thrust chamber for future Vega evolutions

Enabling & Support

3D-printed thrust chamber passes first tests for Vega evolu…

03/03/2020 7982 views 49 likes

Artist's view of Ariane 6 and Vega-C

Enabling & Support

Signed protocols on exploitation of Ariane 6 and Vega-C

20/11/2019 2701 views 24 likes

Enabling & Support

New rocket fairing design offers smoother quieter ride

22/10/2019 6209 views 47 likes

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