A vacuum scroll pump, comprising: an inlet portion having a pump inlet, and an exhaust portion having a pump outlet; a frame; a stationary scroll plate fixed to the frame and comprising a stationary plate comprising at least one stationary scroll blade, wherein the at least one stationary scroll blade has the form of a spiral emanating from a central portion of the stationary plate; an orbiting scroll plate comprising an orbiting plate comprising at least one orbiting scroll blade projecting axially from a front side of the orbiting plate toward the stationary plate, wherein the at least one orbiting scroll blade has the form of a spiral emanating from a central portion of the orbiting scroll plate, and wherein the at least one stationary scroll blade and the at least one orbiting scroll blade are nested such that pockets are delimited by and between the at least one stationary scroll blade and the at least one orbiting scroll blade; a drive mechanism (241a, 241b, 300) supported by the frame and operatively connected to the orbiting scroll plate so as to cause the orbiting scroll plate to orbit about a longitudinal axis of the vacuum scroll pump and thereby pump a process gas; bellows which isolates the process gas from the driving mechanism; characterized by a double-sided stationary thrust bearing supporting the orbiting scroll plate and arranged between a first orbiting thrust bearing and a second orbiting thrust bearing, the first orbiting thrust bearing being attached to the orbiting scroll plate and to the second orbiting thrust bearing, whereby the orbiting scroll plate slides with both sides of the thrust bearing. an inlet portion having a pump inlet, and an exhaust portion having a pump outlet; a frame; a stationary scroll plate fixed to the frame and comprising a stationary plate comprising at least one stationary scroll blade, wherein the at least one stationary scroll blade has the form of a spiral emanating from a central portion of the stationary plate; an orbiting scroll plate comprising an orbiting plate comprising at least one orbiting scroll blade projecting axially from a front side of the orbiting plate toward the stationary plate, wherein the at least one orbiting scroll blade has the form of a spiral emanating from a central portion of the orbiting scroll plate, and wherein the at least one stationary scroll blade and the at least one orbiting scroll blade are nested such that pockets are delimited by and between the at least one stationary scroll blade and the at least one orbiting scroll blade; a drive mechanism (241a, 241b, 300) supported by the frame and operatively connected to the orbiting scroll plate so as to cause the orbiting scroll plate to orbit about a longitudinal axis of the vacuum scroll pump and thereby pump a process gas; bellows which isolates the process gas from the driving mechanism; characterized by a double-sided stationary thrust bearing supporting the orbiting scroll plate and arranged between a first orbiting thrust bearing and a second orbiting thrust bearing, the first orbiting thrust bearing being attached to the orbiting scroll plate and to the second orbiting thrust bearing, whereby the orbiting scroll plate slides with both sides of the thrust bearing.