New low cost Vega E is to be designed while Space Rider unmanned mini-shuttle also gets funding

by | Dec 1, 2017 | ESA, Seradata News, Technology

While the new Vega C can launch 800kg more payload into orbit for about the same price as the current Vega rocket, it remains an expensive rocket at circa US$42 million per launch. As such, the European Space Agency has launched a design programme for a new version of Vega, the Vega E (Vega Evolution). This rocket will be a three stage launch vehicle using a liquid fuel upper stage replacing the Zefiro-9 third stage and the Ukrainian built  AVUM (Attitude and Vernier Upper Module) fourth stage of the Vega C. The new liquid fuel upper stage will use liquid methane and liquid oxygen as its propellants and will be capable of multiple burns.  It will launch payloads equivalent to Vega C’s current 2,300kg for a much lower price that of the current Vega or Vega C.

The European Space Agency is giving the Italian manufacturer Avio €53 million for design of the Vega E. The final go ahead for the Vega E’s development is expected to be given in 2019 with the programme to start in 2024.

Artist’s impression of Space Rider. Courtesy: ESA

In a similar concept to the US Air Force X-37, the ESA has also funded to the tune of €36.7 million, the development of an unmanned mini-shuttle called Space Rider which will ride on top of a launch vehicle to achieve orbit.  It will be able to operate in orbit via a solar array power system, and be able to make runway landings. The Avio/Thales Alenia Space team share this funding. The Space Rider is based on the Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV) which flew a re-entry test in 2015.

.

About Seradata

Seradata produce the renowned Seradata database. Trusted by over 100 of the world’s leading Space organisations, Seradata is a fully queryable database used for market analysis, failure/risk assessment, spectrum analysis and space situational awareness (SSA).

For more information go to https://www.seradata.com/product/

Related Articles

Categories

Archives

Tags

nasaspacexecoreviewsissesaArianespacevideochinaFalcon 9v1.2FT Block 525virgin galacticULAfalcon 9RoscosmosevaDGAspacewalkaviation weekaressoyuzIGTInternational Space StationRocket LabBeidouawardsBlue OriginStarlinkspaceSatellite broadcastingrussiamoonboeingAirbus DSISROCargo Return VehicleresearchOneWebmarsblogspaceshiptwojaxaorionmarsimpactdelayhyperbolaEutelsatdemocratrocketlunarhypertextobamagoogle lunar prizelaunchVegabarack obamaconstellationSEStourismnorthfiguresthales alenia spacespaceflightnode 2fundedIntelsatRaymond Lygo2009Lockheed MartinExpress MD-2Elon MuskAtlas Vromess2dassault aviationaviationLucy2008wk2sstlukradiomissilesuborbitaldocking portexplorationAriane 5 ECAVirgin OrbittestinternetLong March 2D/2sts-122Ariane 5Northrop GrummanSLSChina Manned Space EngineeringElectronflightspace tourism2010cotsnewspapermissile defensegalileospaceportExpress AMU 1Long March 4Cbuildspace stationaltairsoyuz 2-1aProton Minternational astronautical congressshuttlespace shuttleEuropean Space AgencyLauncherOneCosmosIntelsat 23scaled compositesnew yorkrulesAriane 6hanleybudgetatvVietnamshenzhoucongressMojaveboldenLong March 2COrbital ATKInmarsatcnesnew shepardiaclunar landerGuiana Space CenterkscApollolawsSpace Systems/LoralUK Space AgencyLong March 4BKuaizhou 1AILSprotonUS Air ForceTalulah RileydarpaElectron KSFalcon 9v1.2 Block 5Vega CeuAstriumSkylonpicturebaseusaastronautdragonlanderfiveeventTelesatNorth KoreaSSLAprilSNC50thinterviewLong MarchSea LaunchfalconWednesdaycustomerlinkatlantissuccessor