What To Know
- It will also include the separation of the main stage and the upper stage, as well as the first pulse of the Vinci engine of the upper stage which will place the latter in an elliptical orbit 300 by 700 km above the Earth.
- In concrete terms, the Vinci engine will be reignited for the first time, changing Ariane 6’s orbit from an elliptical orbit to a circular orbit 580 km above the Earth’s surface.
- The final phase of Ariane 6’s maiden flight will push the cryogenic upper stage even further to its limits and validate its ability to actually operate in microgravity conditionsIt will then be de-orbited in a controlled manner through the Earth’s atmosphere above the NEMO point in the South Pacific.
Europe is on the eve of a decisive moment as the Ariane 6 launcher prepares for its maiden flight on Tuesday, July 9. This launch, operated from the Kourou site in French Guiana, marks an important milestone for the European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners.
A new start with Ariane 6
On June 21, the ESA had carried out a wet dress rehearsal at the launch site in French Guiana. This test involved the complete refueling of the rocket with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, followed by a simulated countdown. It was then the very last step before launch, allowing the teams to master all the operations up to liftoff using for the first time the rocket’s real flight hardware and software. This inaugural launch of Ariane 6 will be carried out by the Launcher variant 62Measuring 56 meters long and equipped with two powder propellers, it will be lifted by a Vulcain 2.1 engine with liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Note that this variant 62 can carry up to 10.3 tonnes in low orbit, while the version 64, equipped with four solid rocket boosters, will be able to carry up to 21.6 tonnes. For this inaugural flight, Ariane 6 will only carry small loads, mainly cubsats built by companies and research institutes. The launch of Ariane 6 will be broadcast live on ESAWebTV from 19:30 Paris time. Commentary in French will be provided by Lise Pederson and Luce Fabreguettes, Head of Space Transportation Infrastructure and Value Chain at ESA.
A flight in three phases
This flight take place in three phases. The first will consist of propelling the rocket from Earth to space. It will also include the separation of the main stage and the upper stage, as well as the first pulse of the Vinci engine of the upper stage which will place the latter in an elliptical orbit 300 by 700 km above the Earth. The engine will run for approximately eighteen minutes. The next phase will consist of Testing the latest Ariane 6 feature: re-igniting the upper stage. In concrete terms, the Vinci engine will be reignited for the first time, changing Ariane 6’s orbit from an elliptical orbit to a circular orbit 580 km above the Earth’s surface. This is a critical maneuver since the fuel floats freely in the tanks. This first reignition will be followed by the deployment of Ariane 6’s satellites. Finally, the final phase of Ariane 6’s maiden flight will push the cryogenic upper stage even further to its limits and validate its ability to actually operate in microgravity conditionsIt will then be de-orbited in a controlled manner through the Earth’s atmosphere above the NEMO point in the South Pacific.
Artist’s impression of the Ariane 6 rocket in space. Credits: ESA
A crucial flight
Designed to succeed the venerable Ariane 5, Ariane 6 aims to reduce costs while maintaining European launch capabilities. Originally scheduled for 2020, the launch has been postponed multiple times, creating additional pressure on prime contractor ArianeGroup, launch service provider Arianespace, ESA and other stakeholders. With an already full order book (around thirty missions) and a European crisis of access to space, this inaugural flight is therefore particularly crucial. Note that test launches have a high failure rate. Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director General, noted last May that the chances of success were only slightly above 50%Despite these risks, researchers insist on the long-term advantages of this rocket which will guarantee the launch of institutional and commercial missions.
