Ariane & Vega

[MartG]

Sorry, couldn't find a previous thread on the subject of Arianespace launchers...

Arianespace has split its third order of Vega rockets from Italy’s Avio between old and new versions of the solid-fueled booster, as officials prepare to build a final batch of around 18 Ariane 5 rockets before switching to the next-generation Ariane 6 in the early 2020s.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/28/arianespace-...

[MartG]

New version of the Vulcain angine for Ariane VI has undergone a successful test fire

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Prototype Ariane 6 LOX tank delivered to ArianeGroup's new production centre in Bremen, Germany.

[MartG]

Approval given for Ariane 6 the proceed - still no sign of anything innovative like reusability

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Agreed

It will be interesting to see if their claim to be price/kg competitive with SpaceX comes true

[MartG]

New solid motor for Vega C and Ariane 6 being tested this week

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Beati Dogu said:

I'm not a fan of sold rockets, but the trouble with liquid hydrogen as the main fuel is that it doesn't have a lot of "grunt" to get a heavy rocket off the pad.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Monday 9th July 21:49

And the structural mass of a large 1st stage needed due to the low density of LH2 also counts against it. Much more sensible to use a higher density fuel such as RP1 and keep the cryogenic fuel for the upper stages

[MartG]

Looking at the relative sizes of D4H and the Lox/RP1 fuelled Falcon Heavy...



...it is apparent the Delta is the same height but a lot 'fatter' yet carries less than half the payload - 28,790kg to LEO compared to FH's 63,800

[MartG]

Just to add some data on density...

Liquid Hydrogen - 70kg/cubic metre
Liquid Methane - 422 kg/cubic metre
RP-1 - 810 kg/cubic metre

Not sure what the ratio of each of them needed for combustion is i.e. how many cu.m of each per cu.m of LOX

[MartG]

The new SRB firing was successful

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Update on Ariane 6 progress

https://spacenews.com/ariane-6-is-nearing-completi...

[MartG]

Another update on Ariane 6

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

The first qualification model of the P120C solid-fuel motor, configured for Vega-C, was static fired yesterday on the test stand at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Article here http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Update on Ariane 6 progress

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Article - "ESA safeguards Europe’s guaranteed access to space through its Future Launchers Preparatory Programme, FLPP. "

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

The upper stage of an Ariane 4 launched over 20 years ago has broken up in orbit

https://sputniknews.com/world/201908151076555263-u...

I wonder what could have caused it to go pop after so long - I'd assume anything holding pressure would have been vented long ago

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Beati Dogu said:

Probably not, unless they used it for thrusters or engine starts. Third stages like his were powered by liquid hydrogen & oxygen.

It was attitude control thrusters I was thinking of rather than the main rocket motor. The Vega is a solid fueled rocket, isn't it.

Vega may be solid, but the H10 stage of the Ariane 4 we're talking about was LH2/Lox

[MartG]

Report into the Vega VV15 launch failure concludes the probable cause was associated with failure of the forward dome of the 2nd stage motor

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/09/inquiry-ve...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 update article

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transporta...

[MartG]

Another Ariane 6 update

http://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpor...