European Launch Vehicle has selected Airbus Defence and Space to provide electronic components, including inertial navigation systems and backup units for Vega launcher.

The contract comes after Arianespace awarded a contract to ELV in October for ten Vega launch vehicles, which are scheduled to enter service from the end of 2015.

The electronic components to be produced by Airbus will be similar to those used on the heavy launcher Ariane 5. They will be produced on a common assembly line for the two launchers.

The new batch of Vega launchers will leverage competitive advantage gained from the Ariane 5 production batches, Airbus Defence and Space said.

Airbus Defence and Space Space Systems head Francois Auque said: "Our solution, a successful synergy whereby we use the same elements as for Ariane 5, helped us to win this contract, and will hopefully encourage other European space launcher programmes to pool their resources too.



"Our solution will hopefully encourage other European space launcher programmes to pool their resources too."

"The contract also demonstrates our ability to provide critical components as a subcontractor, while simultaneously acting as the prime contractor for major space programmes such as Ariane."

Vega features a manoeuvrable liquid-propellant injection module to place payloads of around 1,500kg into low-Earth polar orbits.

The three-stage solid-propellant vehicle is said to be designed to provide reliable, competitive and efficient payload launcher for Europe for scientific and Earth observation missions.

Airbus Defence and Space has been supporting the Vega programme since its launch in 2003, while ELV is the industrial prime contractor.

ELV is a joint venture of Avio and the Italian space agency with 70% and 30% stakes respectively.

Image: A Vega VV02 rocket ready for liftoff. Photo: courtesy of ESA-S. Corvaja, 2013.