On June 2019, O-RTG completed the qualification program of the Electrical Venting Valve (EVV) for the VEGA launcher, achieved through the Vega Consolidation and Evolution Preparation program. Soon thereafter O-RTG delivered the 1^st flight set of 2 units to Avio. This flight set is to be used on VEGA flight #17 (VV_17), to solve an existing component obsolescence issue as the previous valve (supplied by AER to an Airbus design) is no longer manufactured.

The EVV ensures the priming function of the Attitude Vernier Upper Module (VEGA’s only liquid stage), venting the helium on the lines before the MEA engine fires its UDMH/NTO mixture. There are 2 EVV’s per flight and, for the future VEGA-C where the AVUM will be upgraded to the AVUM+, O-RTG’s valve will be used exclusively.

O-RTG would like to thank Avio, for entrusting us with such a critical development, the ESA VEGA team for providing technical insight and management guidance throughout the critical project phases and DLR Launchers division for its firm commitment to support an SME for such an endeavor.

As the EVV enters its commercial production phase, O-RTG now shift its development focus to 2^nd AVUM component, the Relief Valve which will substitute to substitute the current US sourced component, increasing the share of EU components on VEGA.