Vega - tony48/Unofficial-KNES-Wiki GitHub Wiki

Vega is Europe's light launcher, meant to fill the gap left by Ariane 5 and Soyuz (yes, Soyuz can launch from Kourou), both being quite heavy launchers. Vega is designed to use solid fuel stages, but they usually have a liquid fuel upper stage to finalize or correct the final orbit. Like most solid rockets, Vega launches are quite impressive ! And since Vega is an Italian-built rocket, you may want to read the following lines with a pretty bad accent. Just be aware that it may result in a lower success-rate.

Launch Vehicle First Stage Second Stage Third Stage Fourth Stage
Vega Light P80 M10 (Skipper - Toutatis)
Vega P80 P40 Hammer Avroom
Vega C P120C P80 Hammer Avroom
Vega E P120C P80 M10 (Skipper - Toutatis)

Note that some of the stages have reduced thrust. Especially you may want to lower the Skippers to around 50%, and most P80s are down to around 80%.

If you're not familiar with the Vega rocket family, you know that Vega Light is a proposed concept, still unflown and currently not in developpment and that Vega C and Vega E should fly in the coming years. If you were not familiar with the Vega rocket family... now you are !

Basic Build Guide - Vega Light

Vega Light is a Vega concept where you remove the first stage of a Vega C or a Vega E. It would be targeted at replenishing satellite constellations. The Vega Light represented here is based on the Vega E upper stages, but you can refer to the Vega C build guide to design your own Vega Light "C". It's still unclear whether Vega Light will fly anytime soon, but it would definitely be a nice addition to a satellite constellation deployment and maintenance program ! In this KSP version of Vega Light "E", the M10 upper stage engine uses the RE-I5 "Skipper" engine, which is powerful. The Skipper is actually powerful enough to atomize your payload, so PLEASE reduce its thurst, or be very careful at ignition. Knes Inc. will pay no waranty fee in case of "pricey payload vaporization."

Second Stage

  • Payload Adapter K-125 "Kylda"
  • 1.875m Fairing
  • Probe Core "Minus" Avionics System
  • L33 "Toutatis" Fuel Tank
    • 2x Mk-61 "Zorg" RCS Pod
  • RE-I5 "Skipper" Liquid Fuel Engine (bare) (reduced thrust - 50%)

First Stage

  • Decoupler G1250
  • 1.875m Fairing
  • P80 Solid Fuel Booster (reduced thrust - 80%)

Basic Build Guide - Vega

Vega is a nearily-retired rocket, co-designed by the Italian Space Agency and ESA, and operated by Arianespace. It's particularly known to leave its launch pad in an apparent hurry, but no one knows why it so badly wants to leave Earth.

Fourth Stage

  • Payload Adapter K-125 "Kylda"
  • 1.25m Fairing
  • S3 "Avroom" Avionics
    • 2x Mk-61 "Zorg" RCS Pod
  • 48-7S "Spark" Liquid Fuel Engine

Third Stage

  • Decoupler G0625
  • 1.25m Fairing
  • RT-10 "Hammer" Solid Fuel Booster

Second Stage

  • Decoupler G1250
  • P40 "Vespa" Booster

First Stage

  • Decoupler G1250
  • 1.875m Fairing
    • 6x L3S "Lilliputian" Separatron
  • P80 Solid Fuel Booster

Basic Build Guide - Vega C

Vega C (for Vega Consolidated) is the next generation of the Vega rocket. Basically, it adds an Ariane 6 side booster (a P120C, derived from the original P80 Vega first stage) under a Vega without its P40 second stage. If the last sentence was too complex, here's what you need to know: Vega C is a Vega rocket on steroids. The goal of that variant is basically to increase significantly Vega's capabilities at basically the same price. By using Ariane 6 components and previous Vega stages, it limits the development costs. Vega C first flight is scheduled for 2021, and it should then totally replace the original Vega.

Fourth Stage

  • Payload Adapter K-125 "Kylda"
  • 1.25m Fairing
  • S3 "Avroom" Avionics
    • 2x Mk-61 "Zorg" RCS Pod
  • 48-7S "Spark" Liquid Fuel Engine

Third Stage

  • Decoupler G0625
  • 1.25m Fairing
  • RT-10 "Hammer" Solid Fuel Booster

Second Stage

  • Decoupler G1250
  • 1.875m Fairing
  • P80 Solid Fuel Booster (reduced thrust - 85%)

First Stage

  • Decoupler G1875
  • 2.5m Fairing
    • 6x L3S "Lilliputian" Separatron
  • P120C "Deimos" Solid Fuel Booster

Basic Build Guide - Vega E

Vega E (for Vega Evolution) is based on Vega C, with the last two stages replaced by a more efficient cryogenic upper stage, the M10. It's still very far from flying but it would probably be way more capable than Vega C. However, the following guide will allow you to fly it very soon and to verify this improved efficiency. In this KSP version of Vega E, the M10 upper stage engine uses the RE-I5 "Skipper" engine, which is powerful. The Skipper is actually powerful enough to atomize your payload, so PLEASE reduce its thurst, or be very careful at ignition. Knes Inc. will pay no waranty fee in case of "pricey payload vaporization."

Third Stage

  • Payload Adapter K-125 "Kylda"
  • 1.875m Fairing
  • Probe Core "Minus" Avionics System
  • L33 "Toutatis" Fuel Tank
    • 2x Mk-61 "Zorg" RCS Pod
  • RE-I5 "Skipper" Liquid Fuel Engine (bare) (reduced thrust - 50%)

Second Stage

  • Decoupler G1250
  • 1.875m Fairing
  • P80 Solid Fuel Booster (reduced thrust - 85%)

First Stage

  • Decoupler G1875
  • 2.5m Fairing
    • 6x L3S "Lilliputian" Separatron
  • P120C "Deimos" Solid Fuel Booster