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> European Vega Launcher - Illustration

European Vega Launcher - Illustration

author: ESA/J.Huart/Novapix

reference: e-leu14-90002

Image Size 300 DPI: 24 * 17 cm

Under development since 1998, the Vega launcher is an all-solid three-stage vehicle with a liquid-fuelled injection module, based on proven technologies from Ariane 5 booster stages and FiatAvio's Zefiro solid rocket motor. Vega will be marketed and operated by Arianespace, in parallel to Ariane 5. Vega is designed to loft single or multiple payloads to orbits up to 1,500 km in altitude. Its reference payload capability is about 1,500 kg to a circular 500-km-high Sun-synchronous orbit but it can also loft satellites from 300 kg to more than 2 metric tons, as well as piggyback microsatellites of less than 100 kg each. This range of performance covers the needs for multiple applications in the fields of remote sensing, environmental monitoring, Earth science, space science, fundamental science as well as research and technology for future space applications and systems.

Keywords for this photo:

2010 - ESA - EUROPE - ILLUSTRATION - LAUNCHER - ROCKET - SPACE - VEGA -