The program of the European Space Agency
(ESA) for the development of the Vega
launch vehicle is about its final step.
The launcher is ready to have its maiden
flight beginning of February 2012. Italy’s
involvement in the program is fundamental,
as main "shareholder" of the
program, contributing with 63% of the
total cost, as well as main industrial
actor, being shareholder in the ELV
Company which has designed and built
the launcher. Telespazio is taking part
in the Vega programme, confirming its
place as an international operator in
the field of space services.
The Italian Space Agency (ASI) has therefore
played, and keeps doing so, a dual role:
first as funding entity to the ESA program,
and secondly throughout the ELV SpA
company, a joint partnership between
Avio SpA at 70% and ASI at 30%, which
is the ESA Prime Contractor for the
development of Vega and its qualification
flight.
The 30 meters tall Vega launcher, with
a maximum diameter of 3 meters and 137
tons of lift-off weight, will complete
the family of European space launchers
to offer also to medium-small size satellites
(1,500 Kg), such as scientific and earth
observation satellites, launches into
low earth orbit (about 700 to 1000 Km
height). So Vega will clear the way
providing low cost launch services for
scientific studies, environmental monitoring
and safety of our planet, and it will
be the third European launcher to be
exploited with Ariane 5 and Soyuz in
Kourou.
The first launch of Vega, foreseen in
February 2012 will lift into orbit an
ASI scientific satellite named LARES
(Laser Relativity Satellite), to study
important scientific phenomena in the
field of gravitational physics, fundamental
physics and earth science.
The new Vega launcher is main step for
Europe, it will be enforced the complete
production chain in the space sector,
capable to design and build “turn-key”
systems from the satellites to the launchers
to the ground infrastructures, with
significant industrial returns.
Being Italy the main contributor, many
Italian companies have been involved
in the Vega program: the main ELV’s
industrial partner is Avio SpA for the
launcher, and Vitrociset for the launch
base infrastructure; but also the collaboration
of CIRA, CGS, SELEX Galileo and Telespazio
has been instrumental for the successful
development of Vega, with visible industrial
results.
• The Avio Group, through the ELV subsidiary,
is prime contractor of the Vega launcher.
Coordinating over 40 European companies,
Avio designed, developed and produced
most of the launch vehicle at its industrial
plants in Colleferro (Rome). Avio is
also responsible for all the loading
and integration activities of the launcher,
which are carried out at its facilities
in Kourou.
• Vitrociset is general contractor for
Esa for the Ground Segment of the Vega
Launcher in the Guyana Space Center,
being responsible for the launch base
infrastructure and operation of the
VV01 - LARES Launch Campaign (Qualification
Flight) which began officially in November
2011 in the company integration site.
• CIRA is studying future Vega capabilities
and flexibility improvements, made possible
by introducing innovative materials,
guidance algorithms and liquid-fuel
boosters. Within the Guidance, Navigation
and Control (GNC) package, CIRA has
supported ELV in the optimization of
the attitude control algorithms (RACS).
• CGS is responsible of the design,
manufacturing and integration on the
launch base of the network for the fluids
and propellant distribution, as well
as of the alarm and telecommunication
systems. CGS is also prime contractor
for ASI for the LARES satellite.
• SELEX Galileo is responsible for design,
manufacturing and testing of all the
units belonging to the Safeguard Subsystem
(SAS). The subsystem is composed of
two independent chains each made up
of one Safeguard Master Unit (SMU) and
two Safeguard Remote Units (SRUs).
• Telespazio, a joint venture between
Finmeccanica/Thales, supports the Vega
launch services from the Kourou Space
Centre by providing meteorological,
radar, telemetry and control services.
Telespazio is also supplying software
systems for the ground segment and the
launch vehicle.
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Telespazio’s role
