Ariane 6 concept phase
The Ariane 6 is a rocket that is currently under development and went through different approaches for the future rocket of the European Space Agency in the concept phase.
Early stage
Unlike Ariane 1 to 5, Ariane 6 was originally no longer designed for double launches of two satellites at once in the GTO . The plans for Ariane 6 envisaged the use of solid fuel, with the exception of the upper stage, which is powered by H 2 / O 2 . This should come from the Ariane 5 ME. EADS Astrium therefore received the order from ESA on January 30, 2013 to specify the exact design (step sizes and number of boosters and their sizes) for the Ariane 6, now with 3 t to 6.5 t payload capacity. On July 9, 2013, ESA announced the choice of construction method. As the first stage of Ariane 6, three solid-fuel motors are used, which are mounted next to each other in a row. Another of these solid-fuel motors sits as a second stage on the central first-stage motor. Each of these largely identical solid-state engines will contain around 135 tons of solid fuel. They consist of one piece and not of several segments. The third stage will use liquid hydrogen / oxygen as fuel and have a Vinci engine . This is why one speaks of the PPH concept ( P for powder , i.e. powder of solid rockets and H for hydrogen , i.e. hydrogen). However, the tanks should be new. The payload capacity in the 5.4 m payload fairing is 3.0 t to 6.5 t.
Alternatives
Before the ESA's decision in July 2013, there were plans that the three-stage rocket could either have been adapted to the respective payload weight by using different numbers of solid fuel boosters - or two or three second stages should be used as the first stage, making two versions of different strengths. Before the pre-selection for Ariane 6 at the Ministerial Conference in November 2012, the rocket studies were run as the “Next Generation Launcher (NGL)” for which EADS-Astrium carried out pre-development studies on behalf of ESA. According to the plans at the time, the Next Generation Launcher could have burned CH 4 with O 2 in the first stage and H 2 / O 2 in the second stage . The second option would be a three-stage rocket that uses solid matter in the first two stages and burns H 2 / O 2 in the third . As a third variant, a rocket with two stages powered by H 2 / O 2 would have been possible. Since 2007, ESA has been developing concepts for a “high-thrust engine” demonstrator. As of 2009 there were design reviews. These should lead to a new engine for the main stage of the NGL. However, these plans are now obsolete.
Concept change
During 2014 the concept of the missile changed again. The three-stage Ariane 6 is now to be equipped with two or four solid fuel boosters. The first stage is to burn solid fuel and the two upper ones H 2 and O 2 . That is the PHH concept.
Final concept
A revised concept was presented in September 2014. The now two-stage rocket uses a Vulcain -2 engine in the first stage and a Vinci engine in the second stage. There is a version with two and one with four solid fuel boosters. The payload is 5 t or 11 t. Unlike originally planned, the more powerful version also enables double launches with two satellites weighing approx. 4.5 t. The start-up costs per kilogram of payload should be around half as high as with Ariane 5.
On December 1 or 2, 2014, as a decision by Luxembourg, the ministers of the member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) pledged around four billion euros for the development of Ariane 6.
In contrast to the Ariane 5 , which is still installed vertically, the individual elements of the Ariane 6 in Kourou are to be assembled horizontally in order to reduce costs.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ FOCUS Online: Paris calls from Germany decision on Ariane 6 rocket. December 23, 2009, accessed July 27, 2015 .
- ↑ Christoph Seidler: ESA summit: breakthrough at the space conference. Spiegel Online, November 21, 2012, accessed November 21, 2012 .
- ↑ Airbus Defense and Space: Airbus Defense and Space wins ESA contracts to design Ariane 6 and continue development of Ariane 5 ME. January 30, 2013, accessed July 27, 2015 .
- ↑ http://www.esa.int/ger/For_Media/Press_Releases/Grundkonfiguration_der_Ariane-6_einvernehmlich_ausgewaehlt_Entscheid_auf_der_Grundlage_der_Beschluesse_der_ESA-Ministerratstagung_im_November_2012 ESA: Press release of the Ariane 6th resolution on the basis of the ESA decision-making decision on the basis of the decision of the Ariane 6 24–2014 selected on the basis of the decision of the Ariane 6 24–2014 ministers on the 24th of November 2012 November 2012 , Date: July 9, 2013, Accessed: July 11, 2013
- ↑ http://spaceinimages.esa.int/Images/2013/07/Ariane_6 See this ESA image for the arrangement of the solid fuel motors of the first stage, Date: July 5, 2013, Accessed: July 11, 2013
- ^ Ed Kyle: Ariane 6. Planning for Europe's Next Generation Launcher. March 12, 2014, accessed July 27, 2015 .
- ↑ a b Archive link ( Memento of the original from August 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ ESA signs High Thrust Engine Demonstrator contract for Next Generation Launcher , Date: June 17, 2009, Accessed: September 17, 2011.
- ↑ ESA's high-thrust engine takes next step, Date: June 22, 2011, Accessed: September 17, 2011
- ↑ Tobias Willerding: SpaceX starts - Europe is fighting. raumfahrer.net, September 7, 2014, accessed on September 9, 2014 .
- ↑ Peter B. de Selding: ESA Ministerial in Doubt as France, Germany Remain Far Apart on Future Launcher in spacenews.com, Date: September 8, 2014, Accessed: September 9, 2014
- ↑ Cyrille Vanlerberghe, Service infographie du Figaro: Ariane 6: la version de la dernière chance , in lefigaro.fr, date: September 5, 2014, accessed: September 20, 2014
- ↑ Staff Writers: France raises heat on decision for next Ariane rocket in space-travel.com, Date: September 18, 2014, accessed: September 20, 2014 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically saved as marked defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://orf.at/#/stories/2256123/ ESA to develop new Ariane rocket, ORF.at, December 2 or 3, 2014, accessed on December 3, 2014
