Italy’s Vega-C rocket to return to space on Dec. 3, Avio CEO says
By Giulia Segreti
MILAN (Reuters) -Italy’s Vega-C rocket will return to space on Dec. 3, almost two years after it failed a mission in 2022, the CEO of its manufacturer Avio said on Monday.
“Vega-C will be back on Dec. 3. Not only have we made the required changes, but we recently carried out two expensive ground tests to make sure it works,” CEO Giulio Ranzo told Reuters.
The launch would be part of the European Union’s Copernicus earth observation satellite programme.
In December 2022 the Vega rockets were grounded after the latest model failed on its second mission, destroying two Earth-imaging satellites.
Europe is facing a gap in access to space following the delays of Vega-C and a heavyweight launcher built by Airbus-Safran joint venture ArianeGroup, and the loss of access to Russia’s Soyuz programme due to the war in Ukraine.
The conflict also affected Vega-C, as Avio had to replace one of its components after a Ukrainian supplier’s plant was bombarded, with a slightly different one from a French company.
Avio is the prime contractor and manufacturer of the Vega-C launcher, which was previously commercialised by ArianeGroup subsidiary Arianespace. A decision that allowed Vega-C to be operated independently was “fundamental” for Avio, Ranzo said.
“(The previous situation) was an anomaly, not only was it absurd, it was not functional,” he said, adding that this change would allow the group to improve the launcher.
“Before, we were wasting time and losing money,” Ranzo added.
Problems with Vega-C will delay the schedule for another launcher, Vega-E, Ranzo said. Despite its testing being “at an advanced stage”, the first launch is now expected between end-2027 and 2028 and not in 2026 as previously forecast, he said.
“Little has changed. The coming years are full of launches, and we are well-equipped for the future,” he added. There will be four launches next year and the order portfolio is “very full, with launches until end-2028”, he said.
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti, editing by Gianluca Semeraro and Jan Harvey)
