A representative P80 first stage for Vega has rolled out to the launch pad in French Guiana, marking the initial step in combined testing of this lightweight vehicle with its ground-based infrastructure.
The P80 stage was developed by Italys Avio for Vega program prime contractor ELV, and is one of the largest, most powerful one-piece solid-propellant boosters ever built. It utilizes a novel filament-wound case, and will burn 88 metric tons of propellant during a powered flight lasting 109 seconds.