Double blow for Arianespace
October 4, 2023
Ariane 6, the giant replacement rocket for the European Space Agency (ESA), is already delayed until the end of 2024. Now the ESA says that is medium-lift rocket, Vega-C, is also delayed until Q4/2024.
The news means that Europe doesn’t have a working rocket to launch commercial, scientific or military satellites, other than two remaining older Vega versions.
The Vega-C rocket, made by Avio, an Italian company, failed in December 2022. An investigation commitee found that a there had been a fault in a “throat insert nozzle” which had not been fabricated to the right quality standard.
At the time of the investigation inquiry it was said that a new nozzle would be manufactured by ArianeGroup and the Vega-C returned to flight later this year. However, a test engine-firing in June did not go well. Hot gas from the engine’s exhaust got into gaps in the nozzle, causing the ejection of the throat insert and other nozzle components.
A new design will be tested in Q2 2024, plus a further static-fire test on the engine.
The two remaining Vega versions, which do not use the new engine with the problem nozzles, are scheduled to be flown starting on October 6th with a group of smaller satellites. The final Vega will launch in Q2 2024.
ArianeSpace has been planning for four Vega-C flights in 2025 and at least a similar number in subsequent years.
Stephane Israel, CEO at ArianeSpace said that the launch company was working with other Vega C customers to discuss the implications of this latest delay. “We do not expect that many will leave,” he said. The order book for Vega-C is busy with a full launch manifest through to 2028.”
ArianeSpace depends on launching satellites for its revenue. In 2021 it earned a total of €1.25 billion from 17 launches.
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