Arianespace: Vega-C rocket's first commercial flight fails

Video from the channel BFM Business about Vega-C, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 2:41. Language: French. Video type: News.

BFM Business reports on the failure of Vega C's first commercial flight, Arianespace's new European light launcher and successor to Vega, which was carrying two Airbus Defence and Space Pléiades Neo satellites. At 2 minutes and 27 seconds after liftoff, an anomaly was detected in the second stage, Zefiro 40: the trajectory began to deviate, telemetry was lost, and Stéphane Israël, chairman of Arianespace, declared the mission lost, although no debris fell after liftoff.

The commentator notes that Vega C is built by the Italian company Avio and was meant to give Europe fast, cheap access to space for small satellites.

According to his analysis, clarifying the failure will take months. In addition, Ariane 6 will not arrive before late 2023, and Europe no longer has the Russian Soyuz, so it is left without its own access, and its customers are looking at SpaceX or India. Vega C shares elements with Ariane 6, and Airbus loses two satellites meant to complete its 30 cm resolution constellation.