VEGA Lessons learnt Vega Workshop Stefano BIANCHI ASI Headquarters, April 1st 2015 ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 1
VEGA within the European Launchers family VEGA targets the small payloads in low Earth orbit complementing the European launchers family. VEGA guarantees the European independent access to Space for institutional satellites performing a wide range of missions (science, earth observation, exploration, re-entry...) VEGA Reference lift capability: 1 500 kg at 700 km in circular polar orbit Flexibility: a wide mission range From equatorial to polar & SSO orbit (5.2-102 ) From 300 km to 1 500 km altitude From 300 kg to 2 500 kg Design Reliability: 0.98 ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 2
VEGA Financing, management & Industrial Teams Financing of the Vega Programme: Vega development P80 Verta The Netherlands 3,2% Sweden 0,6% Switzerland 1,0% Belgium 6,9% Spain 4,6% France 25,3% Italy 58,4% Vega launch system and overall management; ESA integrated programme team ESRIN VEGA Launch Vehicle Prime contractor ELV S.p.A. (70% Avio Spa and 30% ASI), located in Colleferro, Italy, is the prime contractor for the launcher development and production. P80 prime contractor Avio S.p.A. is prime contractor for the P80 with a programme management delegation to Europropulsion, France. Ground Segment prime contractor VITROCISET. ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 3
VEGA key aspects Technologies for VEGA Wide reutilization of existing and proven technologies New key technologies for solid boosters and Thrust Vector Control Management of VEGA Development program under ESA management and execution responsibilities, with the support of the National Agencies (ASI,CNES) Exploitation phase managed by Arianespace Industrial organisation and facilities New prime contractors for the launch vehicle (ELV Spa) and the Ground Segment (Vitrociset) in Italy with system and management capabilities More than 40 major aerospace companies from 12 countries Use of Ariane industrial background and facilities Industrial investment Launcher qualification flight P80 development: Avio investment ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 4 4
Launcher Industrial Organisation 3 Solid Propellant stages: P80, Z23, Z9 1 liquid propulsion stage: AVUM ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 5
Vega in a snapshot: Launch Vehicle configuration Second stage (Zefiro 23) 139 tons at lift-off, 30 m height Fourth Stage: AVUM Overall height 1.74 m Height 7.5 m Diameter 1.9 m Diameter 1.9 m Propellant mass 550 kg Propellant mass 23.9 tons Max engine thrust 2450 N Thrust (max) 1200 kn Σ nozzle 25 Burn time 71.6 s First Stage (P80) Height 10.5 m Diameter 3 m Propellant mass 88 tons Thrust (max) 3040 kn Σ nozzle 16 Third Stage (Zefiro 9) Height 3.85 m Diameter 1.9 m Propellant mass 10.5 tons Thrust (max) 313 kn Σ nozzle 72.5 Burn time 107 s Burn time 117 s ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 6
Ground Segment Vega control room in CDL 3 He N 2 fluid panel Vega control command bench N 2 0 4 Room Mobile Gantry ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 7
Ground segment Industrial organisation Add picture Vitrociset prime contractor Carlo Gavazzi Space (I) Thales Alenia Space (Laben) (I) Peyrani (I) Rheinmetall, SIEM, CERASI (I) Telematic, HITRAC (I) Dataspazio (I) Thales, Nofrayane (F) Cegelec, Axima (B) GTD (E) ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 8
VEGA Development Chronology 2011: Combined tests 2008: Zefiro 23 test 2 1 st Flight 2012 Combined tests in Kourou Launch System 2006: Zefiro 23 test 1 2006: P-80 test 1 2010 Qualification Review Ground Segment Design Review 2008 2005: Zefiro 9 test 1 2003: Development Contracts Signature Start Ground Segment work at Kourou 2004 2006 Launch System Critical Definition Review 2007: P-80 test 2 2007: Zefiro 9 test 2 2008: Zefiro 9A test 1 2009: Zefiro 9A test 2 2010: Zefiro 9A test 3 2010: AVUM tests 2002 Launch System Preliminary Design Review 2000 Program Approval 2006: Fairing tests ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 9
Vega launch logbook: a successful track record 2012-02-13: VV01 2013-05-07: VV02 LARES/ALMASat-1 ProbaV/VNREDSat 1A & 7 CubeSats & 1 CubeSat ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use 2014-04-30: VV03 KazEOSat-1 Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 10 2015-02-11: VV04 IXV Demonstrator
Development lessons learnt 1. The management and the governance: 2. Industrial organisation: The ramp up phase Build new competences and keep them 3. Cost and planning: Development cost Recurring cost Planning 4. Technical risks 1. New development 2. Off the shelf ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 11
Development lessons learnt 1. Development main issues: 1. Zefiro nozzle 2. AVUM Tanks 3. Flight Software 4. Roll attitude Control System 5. Ground segment Mobile Gantry crane Mobile Gantry bearings 2. System activities Test as you fly, fly as you test 3. Safety lesson learned ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 12
13 February 2012 10h 00mm 00s UTC ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 13
From Vega to Vega C at a glance PLF Ø2.6 m AVUM Ø1.9 m 2.45 kn thrust AVUM + + 150 Kg Fu/Ox (485 Ox + 243 Fu) 5 kn thrust European Components Z9: Ø1.9m 150 kn thrust Z23 Ø1.9 m 1200 kn thrust Z40 1200 kn Ø2.36 m Recurring & Operations Cost Reduction P80 Ø3 m 3050 kn thrust Common to A6 P120C Ø3.4 m >4000 kn thrust VEGA VEGA C In Polar Orbit Today: 1.500 Kg 2018: 2.200 Kg ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 14
Conclusions Vega development has been a very challenging development The results of the first four flights mark an historical achievement for Europe. Market in the Vega class is confirmed and launch rate of Vega is planned to raise Next challenges: 3 launches in 2015 confirm the results of the first flights with a rigorous quality approach reduce the production and operation costs to achieve a balanced exploitation Prepare the future with Vega C ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 15
Perspectives Thank you for your attention ESA UNCLASSIFIED For Official Use Stefano Bianchi Vega Programme Manager Slide 16