VEGA Small Launcher

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Third stage (Zefiro 9)

 

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Main data Zefiro 9
Height 3.85 m
Diameter 1.9 m
Propellant mass 10.1 tonnes
Thrust (max) 313 kN
Nozzle expansion ratio 56
Burn time 117 s

Zefiro 9 is derived from a 16-tonne solid rocket motor development (Zefiro 16) initiated by Fiat-Avio, now Avio S.p.A., with company funding and contracted by the Italian space agency ASI. The Zefiro-16 motor has already completed three successful firing tests.
The Zefiro-9 motor is composed of :

a 1.9 m diameter carbon epoxy filament wound case

a low density EPDM insulation

HTPB 1912 composite propellant

a nozzle based on a flexible joint technology

a consumable igniter

an electromechanical thrust vector control system
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