Vega - Europe's Newest Rocket

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1328586959380484096

View: https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1328586959380484096

 

[Flyaway]

Failure reason was the upper stage tumbling caused by bad wiring in the control system due to a series of human errors.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1328716058572763137

View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1328716058572763137

 

[Flyaway]

More detail here.

Analysis of the telemetry from the mission, along with data from the production of the vehicle, led them to conclude that cables to two thrust vector control actuators were inverted. Commands intended to go to one actuator went instead to the other, triggering the loss of control.

Human error blamed for Vega launch failure - SpaceNews

Arianespace executives said Nov. 17 that the failure of a Vega launch the previous day was caused when the rocket’s upper stage tumbled out of control.

spacenews.com

 

[TomS]

Apparently this is the ninth failure of the year which represents a spike in failures. Offset against this was the fact that a number of these involved new launchers.

By "ninth failure," you're talking about the total number of failed space launch attempts by all providers, right?

 

[Flyaway]

Apparently this is the ninth failure of the year which represents a spike in failures. Offset against this was the fact that a number of these involved new launchers.

By "ninth failure," you're talking about the total number of failed space launch attempts by all providers, right?

Correct.

 

[Flyaway]

Couple of press releases about the failure:

Loss of Vega Flight VV17: Identification of source of anomaly and establishment of Inquiry Commission - Arianespace

On Tuesday, November 17, Arianespace announced the loss of the Vega VV17 mission, which was carrying two payloads, SEOSAT-Ingenio, an earth-science observation satellite for the European Spatial Agency (ESA) and TARANIS for France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).

www.arianespace.com

Vega flight VV17 failure: Arianespace and ESA appoint an independent Inquiry Commission

www.esa.int

 

[Grey Havoc]

Human error blamed for Vega launch failure - SpaceNews

Arianespace executives said Nov. 17 that the failure of a Vega launch the previous day was caused when the rocket’s upper stage tumbled out of control.

spacenews.com

 

[TomcatViP]

@Grey Havoc : see post #43.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Ouch! Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Flyaway]

Investigation confirms improperly connected cables caused Vega launch failure - SpaceNews

An independent investigation of a Vega launch failure in November confirmed that misconnected cables in the rocket’s upper stage doomed the mission.

spacenews.com