The first Vega has been assembled at the Spaceport, marking a key milestone in preparations for the introduction of this lightweight vehicle in Arianespace's launcher family.
Build-up of the Vega was competed with the installation of its payload fairing, which topped off the vehicle inside the mobile gantry at the Spaceport's ZLV launch facility.
This is a representative launcher that is being used for combined testing of Vega with its ground-based infrastructure. It consists of inert first, second and third stages, the bi-propellant Attitude and Vernier Upper Module (AVUM), and the flight-worthy payload fairing that ultimately will be used for a future Vega mission.
The completed Vega stands approximately 30 meters tall, and is located on the launch table of the refurbished Spaceport facility that previously was used for the first member of Europe's successful Ariane family: the cornerstone Ariane 1 vehicle.
Vega is tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads under development or planned worldwide. Its target payload lift capability is 1,500 kg. on missions to a 700-km. circular orbit.
Industrial prime contractor for Vega is ELV S.p.A. – a Colleferro, Italy-based company created in December 2000 to manage the launch vehicle's development and production.
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