# Arianespace Vega C
*launch services*

## Specifications
- **merge suggestions**: [{"slug":"arianespace-vega","name":"Arianespace Vega","score":0.8888888888888888,"matchedOn":"slug","matchedValue":"arianespace-vega"},{"slug":"arianespace-soyuz","name":"Arianespace Soyuz","score":0.6666666666666667,"matchedOn":"slug","matchedValue":"arianespace-soyuz"}]
- **entity type**: launch_service
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: operator
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **attributes**: {"merge_suggestions":"[{\"slug\":\"arianespace-vega\",\"name\":\"Arianespace Vega\",\"score\":0.8888888888888888,\"matchedOn\":\"slug\",\"matchedValue\":\"arianespace-vega\"},{\"slug\":\"arianespace-soyuz\",\"name\":\"Arianespace Soyuz\",\"score\":0.6666666666666667,\"matchedOn\":\"slug\",\"matchedValue\":\"arianespace-soyuz\"}]"}

## Editorial
Vega-C is a four-stage European small-to-medium launch vehicle, standing 34.8 m tall and capable of delivering 2,300 kg to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit (SSO)[^esa-vega-c-page], with 2,500 kg to a 500 km polar orbit[^esa-vega-c-page]. The first three stages use solid propellants (P120C, Zefiro-40, Zefiro-9); the fourth stage, AVUM+, uses liquid propellants and is reignitable for precise orbit injection.[^esa-vega-c-page][^wikipedia-vega-c] The vehicle first flew on 13 July 2022[^esa-vega-c-page]. A Zefiro-40 nozzle erosion anomaly on the VV22 mission in December 2022 grounded the vehicle until December 2024[^nasaspaceflight-vega-rtf]. Avio was announced to take over direct commercialisation of Vega-C from Arianespace, with the transition planned for end-2025.[^wikipedia-vega-c]

Vega-C returned to flight in December 2024 carrying Sentinel-1C[^nasaspaceflight-vega-rtf] and subsequently launched the ESA BIOMASS mission in April 2025[^esa-biomass-2025]. The vehicle is active as of mid-2026, with three flights completed.[^wikipedia-vega-c] Payloads are launched from the Guiana Space Centre (ELA-1), Kourou, French Guiana[^esa-vega-c-page].

## Compositional position
- formosat-8 (missions) --[related]--> Arianespace Vega C

## Sources
- [esa-vega-c-page] | Vega-C, ESA Space Transportation | https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Vega-C | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-06-16
- [wikipedia-vega-c] | Vega C, Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega_C | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [nasaspaceflight-vega-rtf] | Vega-C returns to flight with Sentinel-1C, NASASpaceFlight.com, Dec 2024 | https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/12/vega-sentinel-1c/ | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [esa-biomass-2025] | ESA Biomass launches aboard Vega-C, NASASpaceFlight.com, Apr 2025 | https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/04/biomass-vega-c/ | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/launch_services/arianespace-vega-c
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)