Vega Flight VV15 failure: Arianespace and ESA appoint an independent inquiry commission

Arianespace announced the failure of Flight VV15 carrying the FalconEye1 satellite. This was the first Vega failure after 14 successful launches in a row since being introduced at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana in 2012. The Vega launch vehicle lifted off as scheduled on 10 July, 2019 at 22:53 hrs (local time in French Guiana). Approximately two minutes after the Vega launcher’s liftoff, shortly after ignition of the second stage (Zefiro 23), a launcher anomaly occurred – leading to the premature end of the mission. The European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace immediately decided to appoint an independent inquiry commission. Preparations for the next Ariane 5 launch are continuing at the Guiana Space Center.

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