Arianespace has won a contract for up to three Vega C launches for IRIDE, the Italian government’s Earth observation constellation. The European Space Agency (ESA), acting on behalf of the Italian government, signed a contract with the French company for at least two Vega C launches with the possibility of a third, all scheduled to lift off from late 2025. The value of the contract was undisclosed.
The rockets will be used to deploy IRIDE, a low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of Earth observation satellites. Italy hopes that the constellation, expected to cost over US$1 billion (€1.1 billion), will be finished in the next five years.
The contract is the first Vega C has announced since the conclusion of an investigation into the launch failure of Vega C’s second mission, in December 2022. This identified a pressure loss resulting from thermal mechanical over-erosion of a Ukrainian-built throat component of the second stage Zefiro-40 solid rocket engine. The lack of homogeneity of the material was cited as the ultimate cause.
Simonetta Cheli, Director of ESA’s Earth observation programme, said: “With this contract ESA repays the trust of the Italian government while confirming its confidence in Arianespace and in the VEGA C launch system.”
Comment by Farah Ghouri: That “confidence” is exactly what Arianespace is sorely in need of. Two Airbus Defence and Space Pléiades Neo imaging satellites, Plaiedes Neo 5 and 6, were lost as a result of the December launch failure that resulted in a US$225 million insurance loss. The latest failure, which adds to that of Vega (Vega-C’s predecessor), puts into question the design and quality control procedures for the rocket, and even for Arianespace as a whole.
Vega C’s backlog is now at 15 launches, including the latest contract. Courtesy: Arianespace.
