A.S.I. - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana - The road to Space goes through Italy.

The Vega II development programme for the small Vega launcher is an ESA programme (European Space Agency) in which Italy is playing a leading role since it is the main 'shareholder' in the programme with a contribution equal to 65% of the overall cost. Other participating states in the programme are: France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Sweden.

In order to improve the consolidation of Italian leadership in the programme ASI set up ELV with Avio (70% Avio and 30% ASI participation). ELV SpA was delegated the responsibility for Vega and qualification as industrial Prime Contractor. With the stipulation of an intergovernmental agreement, ESA, ASI and CNES have established an Integrated Project Team (IPT Integrated Project Team) headquartered at Frascati at the ESA-ESRIN facilities where all three agencies participate with representatives. The small launcher Vega, 30 metres high, 3 metres maximum diameter and weighing 137 tons, a member of the European Space Agency's (ESA) family of launchers, was designed for launching small satellites into low orbit. Its reference performance is 1,500 kg to 700 km in SSO (sun-synchronous) polar orbit.

The launcher is made up of three stages with solid propellant motors (about 80, 23 and 9 tons each, developed by Avio with innovative technologies, especially the composite casing featuring carbon epoxy filament wound casing and nozzle) and a liquid propellant high stage with the capability of multiple restarting called the Attitude and Vernier Upper Module (AVUM). Development and qualification phases are to be completed this year. Ground segment infrastructure is under completion at the European launch base at Kourou in French Guiana. Soon integrated tests (testing of various ground segment components) will start and immediately afterwards the combined tests (testing plan between the launcher and ground segment). After the combined tests, there will be the launch campaign for qualification which as of today's date is scheduled for late 2009. This qualification flight will loft ESA's main payload, the LARES satellite.