Anomalous Behaviour Affects Firing Test Of Vega Zefiro 9 Motor

ROCKET SCIENCE

File photo of a test friing of the Zefiro 9 solid rockt motor.

by Staff Writers
Paris, France (ESA) Mar 30, 2007
On Wednesday 28 March, at around 15:00, the second firing test of the solid rocket motor 'Zefiro 9' - the motor that will power the third stage of ESA's future small launcher Vega - took place at the Salto Di Quirra Inter-force Test Range in Sardinia, Italy.

The first results of the test indicate that the behaviour of the motor and the actuation of the nozzle were in accordance with predictions up until 35 seconds after ignition, when a sudden drop in the motor's internal pressure was detected. The pressure stabilised at a value lower than the nominal, leading to a longer combustion time than the expected 105 seconds.

More than 400 sensors fitted to the motor monitored its behaviour during and after the firing test. The first visual investigation conducted on site after the firing showed that the nozzle of the motor was damaged, but no further damage was observed on the motor case or on the test bench.

ESA and Industry teams have already started a thorough analysis and assessment of the data collected during the test. The causes of the anomaly have not been identified yet and an investigation board is being set up for this purpose. The board shall recommend preventative and other appropriate actions to preclude the recurrence of similar anomalies for the finalisation of the motor qualification.

This was the second firing test of the Zefiro 9 motor. The first test took place successfully in December 2005. The first firing tests of the other Vega solid rocket motors - Zefiro 23 (second stage) and P80 (first stage) held on 26 June 2006 at Salto di Quirra and on 30 November 2006 in Kourou respectively, also went well. Three more firing tests, in the years 1999-2000, were conducted successfully for the Zefiro 16 motor, the forerunner of the Zefiro family of solid rocket motors.

The Zefiro 9 motor is developed by AVIO SpA and is based on advanced technologies in the field of solid rocket propulsion. It has an overall height of 3.17 m and a diameter of 1.92 m, contains approximately 10 tonnes of propellant and provides a maximum thrust of 305 kilonewton in vacuum.

Vega is a single body launcher composed of three solid propellant stages and a liquid propellant upper module. It is approximately 30 metres high and weighs a total of 137 tonnes at lift-off. Vega will be able to launch satellites of up to 1500 kg into a 700 km-altitude polar orbit, and it will also be useable in a wide range of scientific and Earth observation missions. The maiden flight for ESA's small launcher remains scheduled to take place in 2008.

The Vega launcher is being developed with the support of seven ESA Member States (Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden). ESA has contracted the development activities of the launcher to ELV SpA, a joint venture between Avio SpA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

Email This Article

ROCKET SCIENCE

Space X Declares Falcon 1 Testing Complete And Ready For Commercial Orbital Transportation Services

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 29, 2007
Having had several days to examine the data, the second test launch of Falcon 1 is looking increasingly positive. Post flight review of telemetry has verified that oscillation of the second stage late in the mission is the only thing that stopped Falcon 1 from reaching full orbital velocity.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT Life Or Death A Matter Of Luck In Japanese Quake Japanese Earthquake Victims Spend Restless Night Cyclone Kills 36 Displaces 50000 In Madagascar Birth And Rebirth In New Orleans	CLIMATE SCIENCE Republicans Move To Block Al Gore Live Earth Rock Concert Healthy Coastal Wetlands Would Adapt To Rising Oceans Sweeping Changes To Global Climate Seen By 2100 Himalayan Glacier Melting Observed From Space
EARTH OBSERVATION DMCii To Launch New Higher-Resolution Satellite Imaging Service First Greenhouse Gas Animations Produced Using Envisat SCIAMACHY Data GeoEye Acquires Leading Aerial Imagery Provider From GE Oil And Gas Take A Closer Look At Our Planet At The Palais De La Decouverte In Paris	ENERGY TECH US Automakers Press Bush On Ethanol Russian Diplomat Declares Ministry Committed To Energy Security Boeing Prepares Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane For Ground And Flight Testing Consumer Electronics Firms Seek Edge By Going Green
EPIDEMICS Antibiotic Resistance In Plague Researchers Find Best Way To Detect Airborne Pathogens Bird Flu Found In Endangered Japanese Eagle Genome Sequence Shows What Makes Bacteria Dangerous For Troops In Iraq	FLORA AND FAUNA Monster Toad Found In Australia Iron In Northwest Rivers Fuels Phytoplankton And Fish Populations Science Of Metagenomics Will Transform Modern Microbiology Researchers Figure Out What Makes A Simple Biological Clock Tick
FROTH AND BUBBLE Visions Of A Green China Lost In The Haze Plastic That Degrades In Seawater Could Be Boon For Cruise Industry And Others China Backs Away Fom Green Plan Global Shipping Must Curb 'Unchecked' Pollution	ABOUT US The Mother Of All Tooth Decay Man's Earliest Direct Ancestors Looked More Apelike Than Previously Believed Hebron Settlers Spread Out Moral Judgment Fails Without Feelings

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement