Arianespace’s Vega-C rocket fails test firing
July 3, 2023
By Chris Forrester
In December 2022 an Italian-made Vega-C rocket failed to launch a pair of satellites for Airbus. The rocket was subsequently grounded while further tests took place. A test firing of the rocket’s engine has just failed.
Avio SpA is the rocket’s builder and the engine firing test was supposed last 97 seconds but the engine shut down, losing pressure, after just 40 seconds.
Last year’s launch failure was blamed on the rocket’s ‘throat nozzle’ and its supplier (a Ukrainian company) cited as being responsible.
ArianeGroup is supplying a new Zefiro-40 nozzle throat. Avio said in a statement that the test showed no issues with the new component. “The new carbon-carbon material showed a nominal performance, closely linked to prediction,” Avio stated. “However, after 40 seconds into the test, another anomaly was revealed, leading to a reduction in overall pressure performance of the motor.”
The failure means it is back to square one for Avio and ArianeGroup and means the rocket is unlikely to return to launch duties this year.
The delay only adds to the problems for Arianespace given the long delays to the availability of the new Ariane-6 rocket which is not expected to be available until 2024.