Enlarge / The VV16 payload is trucked to the Vega Launch Zone in French Guiana. (credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace) The European rocket firm Arianespace has been trying to launch a Vega rocket carrying dozens of small satellites for the better part of a year. First, the launch was delayed from mid-2019 after the Vega rocket experienced its first failure in 15 flights.