Small advance for ESA

The European Space Agency last week successfully completed the first firing test of Zefiro 23, the second-stage motor of ESA's Vega small satellite launch vehicle.

The static firing took place at the Italian ministry of defence test centre in Salto di Quirra,

. The 7.5m tall, 2m diameter motor, featuring a carbon epoxy filament-wound casing, delivered more than 100 tonnes of thrust (1,070kN), burning 24 tonnes of solid propellant in 75 seconds.

Data gathered during the test is being analysed to improve technical knowledge of the motor's behaviour and refine the launcher's future performance. Also tested during the firing were sub-systems, including a thrust vector control system that will steer the motor's nozzle to provide flight control.

Built by Avio in Colleferro, near

, the Zefiro 23 motor will be the basis for the second stage of ESA's Vega launcher. The first firing test with the third-stage motor — the Zefiro 9 — was performed in December 2005.