Vega E Launcher Will Be Developed by the Italian company Avio

The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen the developer of the newest Vega Launcher — Vega E. An $140 million contract has been signed with Avio, the space propulsion company based in Italy.

The Outstanding Hallmark of Vega E Launcher

Both parties mention the significant resemblance between Vega C (that will be launched in 2022) and the E launcher. At the same time, the latter is a much more updated and complex version. The number of stages has reduced compared to the C launcher, so the newest Vega rocket will just have three. The first two stages are identical, but the upper stage is unique. The P120C solid rocket motor is the first stage for both Vega E Launcher and its Vega C predecessor, while the solid rocket Zefiro-40 motor is the second one. The third stage is the liquid oxygen–methane cryogenic. Developing it will be the central process of creating the E launcher.

When Vega Rocket Launch Will Happen

The date of the newest Vega rocket launch is not specified yet. But the ESA and Avio are very optimistic about Vega E, so we can expect that all the details will be settled down soon.