VEGA Consolidation and Evolution VEGA C: a pillar of ... · VEGA Consolidation and Evolution . VEGA C: a pillar of European access to space for the Twenties. ... Regulator and Relief

VEGA Consolidation and Evolution VEGA C: a pillar of European access to space for the Twenties.

Pier Giuliano Lasagni, Vice Chairman Avio SpA

Air and Space Academy International Conference Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris)

November 4th, 2015

AVIO SpA- All rights reserved 2015.

AVIO SpA- All rights reserved – subject to the restrictions of last page.

VEGA C: the reasons for an evolution

Slide 1

VEGA launch vehicle successfully entered the production phase after two

(partially commercial) qualification flights in 2012/2013.

As per today, VEGA is the market leader in its class, with about 35% of share

already in Arianespace manifest.

Vega C: a pillar of European access to space for the 20ths.



Slide 2

Market and regulatory trends confirm the worthiness of the formula, based on a very simple

configuration backed by high quality standard and a short supply chain; yet emerging competitors

(often operating in a milder regulatory environment) and application of LOS prompted the need for

a VEGA consolidation in terms of cost, performance and compliance.

In the next five years about 510 SMALLSATs in the range mass 1-500 kg to be launched in the next 5

years, 175 of which will be in the 50-300 kg range of mass


10 years 5 years



Slide 3

The development of a VEGA C (consolidation) was firstly decided at European Ministerial

Conference 2012, and upgraded during M.C. 2014. The drivers for the decisions were:

• To strengthen and enlarge the Vega market position in the short/medium term

• To decrease the dependency on non-European sources

• Contribute to safeguard European industrial engineering capabilities

• To be in a position to better respond to long term institutional needs

The European decision is implemented through ESA who awarded to ELV the development contracts

for VEGA C Launcher Segment and Ground Proximity Means: the Maiden Flight is expected by the

end of 2018.




Slide 4

The VEGA C High Level Requirements in terms of performance

The VEGA C performance shall be

• ≥ 2200 kg in single launch @ 700 km circular Polar Orbit (PEO), without constraint on the trajectory but considering a controlled re-entry of the 3rd stage (with Neutral Axis manoeuvre) and of the 4th stage.

• ≥ 1800 kg @ 800 km circular Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO)

taking into account all the applicable Safety constraints as per French Space Operation Act and

constraints on space debris and upper stage direct re-entry the launcher performance target in

SSO


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VEGA-C: VECEP Program Objectives

To strengthen and enlarge the VEGA market position in the short/medium term • The VEGA C launcher will increase by at least 700 kg the nominal Vega performance

on its reference mission and provide an enhanced service at a recurring cost not exceeding the VEGA second batch procurement cost.

• The gain in performance – w.r.t the current Vega – shall at least balance/compensate the losses related to the applicable safety constrains (e.g. FSOA, Space Debris Policy) and provide additional margin for complex missions requiring significant flexibility in the flight strategy, without any increase of the recurring costs.

• Options to enlarge the potential market by providing cost efficient launch service

solution will be studied in particular for new strategy to orbit, using electric propulsion for servicing MEO or GEO Small Satellite market, and new solutions for accommodation of smallsats, in a multiple launch configuration.


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VEGA-C: VECEP Program Objectives

To decrease the dependency on non-European sources • The current VEGA launcher includes non-European elements, mainly in the upper

stage. The AVUM+ activities that have been set up foresee, already from Step-1 the development and qualification of new Propellant Tanks, Gas Tank, Pressure Regulator and Relief Valve.

• It is worth underlining that the implementation of European components will be pursued taking into account the constraint not to increase the launcher recurring cost.


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VEGA-C & VEGA-E: VECEP Program Objectives

Contribute to safeguard European industrial engineering capabilities • The proposed activities at both system level and stage/technology level make use of

the capabilities acquired during the Vega development (solid propulsion, solid stage system and launcher system) and the Ariane development (solid propulsion, liquid propulsion and liquid stage system), thus maintaining and/or enhancing them.

• Maximizing potential synergies with other ESA launcher programmes (e.g. Ariane 6, FLPP).


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VEGA-E: Program Objectives

To be in a position to better respond to long term institutional needs • The forecast on the market as well as the monitoring of evolutions of the Launch

Services provided by competitors for non-GTO missions will be continued in order to support the preparatory phase for longer-term evolution of the VEGA launcher.

• Preparatory activities for the VEGA longer-term evolutions (VEGA E) will be pursued. In particular the trade off and the concept design of a new VEGA Upper Stage 3 or 4 -stages launcher architecture (P120C/Z40/VUS) will be carried out, in the perspective of presenting a Programme Proposal at CM-2016. Such evolution proposal shall be consistent with the market forecast and shall target compliance with REACH directives.


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2012 ……. 2014 ……. 2018 ….. ……. 2021

Exploitation

VEGA C

VEGA E

Qual. flight Qual. flight VEGA

Development Exploitation

Development

VEGA-C & VEGA-E: Evolution Path

VEGA C vs VEGA: the extent of the evolution

New φ3.3 PLF instead of φ2.7

New PL Dispenser

Improved Upper Stage AVUM+

New conical composite IS 23

Z40SRM (φ2.4) instead of Z23 (φ1.9)

New conical metallic IS 12

P120C SRM (φ3.4) instead of P80FW (φ3)

New cylindrical metallic IS 01

From Vega to Vega C


VEGA C vs. VEGA: the extent of the evolution

SP 11

The launcher modification is intended to allow a limited increase of performance to remain abreast of competition and to better accommodate missions, in particular for multiple payloads configurations as well as opportunity for reducing the dependency on non-European sources in the Vega launcher production. For those objectives, the following modification are envisaged on VEGA-C AVUM+.

Fig.1 : VEGA AVUM Fig.2 : VEGA-C AVUM+

142 liter Russian ( LA) Titanium Propellant tank

2.5 KN Ukrainian ( YZH) Main Engine

87 liter U.S.A. ( ATK ) Gas Tank

180 liter European ( ADS ) Titanium Propellant tank

108 liter European ( ADS-F) Gas Tank

5.5 KN European ( ADS ) Main Engine

AIS European ( ADS-CASA) Honeycomb Aluminium Internal structure

AAM AVUM AVIONIC Module

AIS European ( ADS-CASA) Reinforced Honeycomb Aluminium Internal structure

AAM AVUM AVIONIC Module New MFU and OBC

RACS European Roll and Attitude Control System

RACS European Roll and Attitude Control System

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VEGA-C: the vehicle architecture

The VEGA C is based on the same VEGA avionics configuration with minimum change:

• P120 and Z40 new TVC S/S (redundancy approach for the P120 Electronic Control unit, thermal battery management)

• New services to P/L will be also added (MFU MK II) for multiple Satellite separation interface (NEA, DC motors, Solenoid).

• Lessons learned from VEGA mission will also induce change in the Safeguard S/S with the addition of stage separation activated by Safeguard S/S and with the addition of auto-localization means through GNSS service

• Improved Flight Program Software and GNC algorithms

• In the frame of the VECEP program new avionics technologies (TTEthernet bus, Hybrid Navigation, Telemetry TDRS) will also be studied for their implementation directly in VEGA E

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VEGA-C: For MULTIPLE PAYLOAD

• A new adapter for Main payload + Small Payload & Cubesat will be developed (VAMPIRE concept)

• VESPA will be used as well for double launch solution or to accommodate Cubesat & microsat on the internal platform

• MFU MKII will provide the additional commands needed to activate the new separation systems.

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VEGA-C: Development Plan


P120C SRM: the first true common block in European Launcher Families

Slide 15

The reasons and the hassles for commonality:

Solid propulsion is inherently investment intensive, it is sensible to raw material availability and only large production rates are compatible with otherwise overwhelming fixed costs. A synergy within European Launcher Family is mandatory to make the technology affordable both in terms of recurring costs and investments.

From the other side, defining a common workhorse for launchers very different in terms of architecture obliged to a careful blending and tuning of requirements, including standards and general norms flowing down from Vega and Ariane 6: finding out a point of equilibrium was a complex (sometimes distressing) task that required an intense co-engineering phase at industrial level, involving for 6 months, teamwork from AVIO, ASL, ELV and SABCA.

P120C

Vega Consolidation & Evolution: A New Generation of Propulsive Systems



Slide 16

The extent of commonality:

In recent years, commonality was more an ideal target than a practical achievement. PCV* and P145* were sharing at most architecture, materials and technologies but not a single part. From the other side, the CSPM (the solid propellant stage proposed for A6 PPH and Vega) was judged too extreme in terms of commonality, mainly because avionics and pyrotechnics of the two launcher families resulted quite different.

However, Cost & Value trade-off, performed at system and motor level during the co-engineering phase ended-out with a fairly large level of commonality: apart of the SRM, external thermal protections, raceways mounts and Thrust Vector Control will be eventually common, with obvious advantages in terms of development, industrialization and operations.

* the paper ancestors of Vega & Ariane 6 Lower Composite




Slide 17

The trade-off:

Definition of a common requirement baseline, that at the same time would allow a sound motor technical and program feasibility was achieved in the co-engineering phase by a systematic trade-off approach, negotiating each requirement at system level. A TRS was agreed among Launcher Systems primes and AVIO, ASL and now Europropulsion as motor Design Development Authority. This enabled a fast Preliminary Design Phase B.



PRELIMINARY SIZING CHARACTERISTICS Unit P120C F36 Propellant mass (LMC + igniter) kg 135786 Total inert mass kg 11000 Maximum expected operative pressure (MEOP) bar 105 External diameter m 3,4 Boss to boss length m 11,3 Fwd polar boss interface diameter m 1,0 Aft polar boss interface diameter m 1,7 Nozzle throat initial diameter m 0,567 Nozzle exit diameter m 2,175 Nozzle exit area m² 3,715 Initial nozzle expansion ratio - 14,71 Combustion time (F=150 kN) s 133,0 Vacuum thrust total impulse (F=150 kN) MN*s 370,0 Vacuum Isp at F=150 kN s 278,5

P120C SRM The first true common block in European Launcher Families

Slide 18

The SRM configuration at the end of Phase B:

Establishment of Technical Specification was supported by a feasibility analysis with more than 30 variants studied, with diameters ranging from 3.2 to 3.5m and loadings from 125 to 136 tons of propellants. F36 configuration (based on HTPB-2013 propellant) is generally compliant to both Ariane 6 and VEGA requirements. It is the current baseline, as an outcome of PDR milestone held in September 2015.



P120C SRM: the challenges for a development

Slide 19

The absolute Design Driver is Target Cost.

New materials, technologies and automated process for better dependability and lower MAIT cost, taking profit on a comparatively high production rate. Among the others:

New High Perfo Prepreg Bragg Fibre for health monitoring and acceptance Full automated winding and lay-up of composite

Integrated External Thermal Protection and raceways mounts

Innovative SRM integration cycle Low Part Count Igniter and Nozzle Interfaces Large use of subassy in SRM integration.

Low Nozzle Inertia, to allow TVC based on EMA Low Part count Nozzle design. New low cost Nozzle Ablators

Low raw material cost propellant. Propellant formulation optimized vs process to reduce Flow Time Innovative Casting Mandrel & operations Large grain structural margins to streamline NDC

Low SRM Recurring Cost



P120C SRM: the challenges for a development

Slide 20

The absolute Design Driver is Target Cost.

The logic adopted in setting the P120C Development and Qualification Plan inherited by the experience earned during VEGA and VEGA Evolution SRM’s D&Q phases. This reduces risks and uncertainties linked to architectural and detailed design phase; at the same time it allows many requirements to be verified by similarity approach. As first consequence, the full scale firing test campaign is based, at motor level, by only one firing test (DM) during development Phase C;

• the qualification and flight for Vega, through a single development firing test and a single qualification test (QM1)

• the qualification and flight for Ariane 6 through a second qualification firing test (QM2), for which the same propellant raw materials lots and tuning will be adopted in order to achieve a first experimental verification of performance reproducibility (thrust imbalance issue)

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Ariane 6 Milestones

Vega C Milestones

P120C SRM Milestones

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

QR Maiden Flight

GQR1QM1CDRDM

PDRPRR CDR

PDRLLI KP

TS-KP

PDR CDR

Project KP GQR2QM2



Z40 SRM – A Multipurpose second stage Motor

Slide 21

Development of Z40 has been started on AVIO own funding since 2011. The program was aimed to mature the readiness level for a certain number of promising architectures and technologies, developing at the same time a flight standard motor. A PDR has been performed on September 2012 on a baseline requirement originated by ELV studies on Vega E1.

A ∆PDR was closed successfully on July 2015 to update the design to VEGA C3 requirements.

Z40 the choice:

Z40 has been conceived to get rid of limitations intrinsic to Z23, that jeopardizes the evolution of VEGA, by bounding it in terms of performance and structural fluxes.

Although Z40 first use is foreseen on VEGA C3, it perfectly supports further evolutions, in example VEGA E, VEGA EH etc…




Slide 22

Z40 from the technology demonstration to the flight standard motor

Z40 configuration baseline DD1 as from 2012 PDR evolved to DD1.1 for application to VEGA C3, following the selection of technologies mature for motor qualification at the beginning of 2018.

PRELIMINARY SIZING CHARACTERISTICS Unit Z40 N5 Propellant mass (LMC + igniter) kg 36239 Total inert mass kg 3078 Maximum expected operative pressure (MEOP) bar 115 External diameter m 2,4 Boss to boss length m 6.1 Fwd polar boss interface diameter m 0.60 Aft polar boss interface diameter m 1,06 Nozzle throat initial diameter m 0.28 Nozzle exit diameter m 1,72 Nozzle exit area m² 2,32 Initial nozzle expansion ratio - 37 Combustion time T38 (Pi =1.5 bar) S 92,9 Vacuum thrust total impulse T38 (Pi =1.5 bar) MN*s 104,2 Vacuum Isp at T38 (Pi =1.5 bar) s 293,5

The development and industrial challenge is to fit the target cost of the Z23.

With regard to its predecessor, Z23, the motor has an higher average pressure, total impulse 50% higher, sporting larger structural margins on the case and on propellant grain, low torque flexible joint.




Slide 23

Z40 from the technology demonstration to the flight standard motor

Z40 as a pathfinder for technology demonstration has allowed to develop and validate several processes. Few of them, mostly aimed to target cost have been retained as baseline for motor development (DD1.1).

New High Tensile Strength Prepreg Bragg Fibre for health monitoring and acceptance Full automated winding and lay-up of composite

Integrated External Thermal Protection and raceways mounts

Low Torque Self protected Nozzle Flexible Joint. Low Part count Nozzle design. New bias tape process for ablators.

Low raw material cost bimodal propellant. Propellant formulation optimized vs process and nozzle erosion. Large Grain structural margins.

Low SRM Recurring Cost




Slide 24

The development cycle:

Quite similar to Z23, has been based for the first phase on the demonstration of technology and materials through the use of pathfinders and breadboards. In particular, the IMC new design has been demonstrated on a Z9 scale case for prepreg validation, three Φ1100 cases for high strength skirt, a full scale inert casting motor, a large number of flexible joint specimen and of CPh resin infusion as well as braiding samples and subscale specimen for nozzle. Automated Tape Lay-up has been validated on two full scale specimen, ending up to DM00 that successfully demonstrated qualification margins versus MEOP, compressive & traction fluxes respectively up to 2000 and 1000KN/m.



VEGA Upper Stage Engine

Slide 25

VEGA Evolution gets increased versatility by a large ∆V on upper stage.

CM 2014 proposes a trade-off work to identify the best choice for propulsion for VEGA E Upper Stage (VUS).

a LOx-LNG engine derived from Mira (75-120 KN)

a LOx-LH2 engine (60 KN)

a storable propellant engine derived from Aestus (30KN)

IV stage a small storable propellant engine (2-7 KN) (i.e. Berta)

III stage



Slide 26

LM-10 MIRA engine: a serious option for VEGA E upper stage

Mid 2014 AVIO completed the successful demonstration of LOx-LNG technology through MIRA D engine within Lyra program, in partnership with the Russian firm KBKhA.

A part of the fully satisfactory results from several test campaigns, the TRL achievement highlighted the robustness of the engine architecture and the advantages of the propellant pairs.




Slide 27

LM10-MIRA engine: a serious option for VEGA E upper stage

In recent times a large consensus on LOx-LNG propulsion is diffused in Space Transportation business: SpaceX Raptor, Samara, ASL for both expendable and reusable systems.

Since 15 years AVIO, also in partnership with CIRA, has been pioneering the technology: taking profit on a use case (i.e. VUS), on new design and manufacturing technologies (i.e. ALM) and newly available materials developed an industrial mastership at engine system level as well as at component i.e.: • Turbomachinery both for LOx and for LNG • Injection Plate • Combustion Chamber Few patents applied for by AVIO will eventually result in a breakthrough on propulsion recurring cost




Slide 28

LM10-MIRA engine: a serious option for Vega E upper stage

AVIO is currently working to find the optimal requirement baseline (in the range between 75 and 120KN) and an European industrial share for a LOx-LNG upper stage flight engine.

MIRA-F present baseline

Development and qualification plan aim to the engine qualification (prior the stage one) by 2023.

Following the success story of P80FW development, MIRA-F development can carry also objectives for reusability demonstration, to be applied on future generations of SRLV.


The information contained in this document is Avio S.p.A. proprietary and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of Avio S.p.A. and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced, without the express written consent of Avio S.p.A.

Thank you

Contact: [email protected]

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VEGA Consolidation and Evolution VEGA C: a pillar of ... · VEGA Consolidation and Evolution . VEGA C: a pillar of European access to space for the Twenties. ... Regulator and Relief