18/12/2020 (Agence Europe) – According to a report by the Independent Inquiry Commission (IIC) set up by Arianespace and the European Space Agency (ESA), published on Friday 18 December, the failure of the latest Vega launcher mission (see EUROPE 12604/26) was due to a sloppy installation process: poor routing and incorrectly connected cables for the electromechanical actuators in the launcher’s fourth stage. This incorrect connection reportedly inverted the pilot controls, resulting in the loss of the launcher and its payload. Therefore, the commission recommends additional inspections and tests on the next two Vega launchers for the entire process, from assembly to stage integration. Starting this week, a working group led by ESA and Arianespace has started to implement the roadmap proposed by the IIC and will closely monitor its application. (PH)