Vega Archive
Versatile, efficient, precise — the Vega launch system is Europe’s way of launching light satellites to multiple orbits in a single launch
Vega first launched in 2012 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to complement Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane rockets. Vega-C, a more powerful variant with greater payload volume and improved competitiveness, took over this role with its inaugural flight on 13 June 2022. Vega-E is now in development to further increase performance while reducing launch service costs.
Notable ESA launches
- 2012 – Inaugural flight
- 2015 – Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle precursor to Space Rider for return missions
- 2018 – Aeolus mapping Earth's global wind fields
- 2020 – First rideshare service using the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) multiple payload adapter
- 2022 – First flight of Vega-C
- 2012 first launch
- 2022 Vega-C
- 4 stages
- reentryupper stage
