Analysis of VEGA solid stages static firing tests towards the maiden flight

VEGA is the new launcher developed by the European Space Agency and qualified with its maiden flight on February, 13rd 2012. During the launcher development, a total of eight static firing tests have been performed for the three solid stages (VEGA family SRMs), which compose the launcher: the first stage P80, the second stage Zefiro 23 and the third stage Z9A. In this work, the analysis of the static firing tests of the VEGA SRMs is performed with a post-static firing test reconstruction model, developed for the purpose. The aim is to use the measures acquired during the SFTs, in order to evaluate the actual behavior of the SRMs, through the parameters: combustion efficiency, thrust efficiency, hump, scale factor and nozzle throat area law, which define the actual performance parameters of the SRMs. The final purpose is to assess the SRMs performance parameters from the SFT data; to investigate the actual internal ballistics of the SRMs, comparing the outcomes of the SFT analysis, for each stage and, all together, all the VEGA family SRMs, in order to make possible the extrapolation of the flight conditions and to analyze the VEGA maiden flight. © 2012 by E. Cavallini, B. Favini, M. Di Giacinto, F. Serraglia.