The
baseline configuration of
Ariane 6 selected by
consensus
9 July 2013
In November 2012,
European Ministers
responsible for space,
meeting in Naples, Italy,
approved the start of
preparatory activities for
Europe’s next-generation
Ariane 6 launch vehicle.
The objective of Ariane 6
is to maintain guaranteed
autonomous access to space
for Europe, while minimising
exploitation costs and
suppressing any support to
exploitation.
The performance requested
for the new launch vehicle
was 3–6.5 tonnes in
equivalent geostationary
transfer orbit (GTO), to
cover both governmental and
commercial needs. The
general configuration
retained was ‘PPH’ –
indicating the sequence of
stages using solid
propulsion, solid propulsion
and cryogenic propulsion.
Ministers also requested
that the new launch vehicle
exploits maximum
commonalities with the
cryogenic reignitable upper
stage of Ariane 5 ME.
Process
Seven months after ESA’s
Ministerial Council
decision, the project team
of ESA, supported by CNES,
has endorsed the final
concept proposed by industry
for the vehicle that will
become Europe’s workhorse
for reaching space in the
2020s and beyond.
This concept was selected
after six months of
trade-off studies done by a
‘plateau projet’ integrating
industrial teams (Astrium,
Avio, Herakles and the
participation of Safran, MT
Aerospace and others)
working under ESA contract,
consistent with Ministerial
decisions mentioned above.
The choice of
configuration was made by
consensus and based on the
following main criteria:
exploitation costs, time to
market and development
costs.
Ariane 6 will benefit
from the advances by
European industry in solid
and cryogenic propulsion,
structures, systems,
avionics, ground segment and
operations through the
Ariane and Vega programmes.
Baseline configuration
selected
The selected ‘Multi P
linear’ concept is based on
a lower ‘composite’ of four
motors, each loaded with
around 135 tonnes of solid
propellant, providing also
synergies with the Vega
evolution perspectives. An
"in-line" arrangement of
three will serve as the
first stage, while the
fourth will be mounted above
as the second stage.
The third stage will be
an adapted version of the
Ariane 5 ME upper stage,
equipped with the Vinci
engine and specific
propellant tanks.
The 5.4 m-diameter
payload fairing will be able
to accommodate the same
volume of satellites as
Ariane 5.
Steps to October 2013
The next step will be for
ESA to consult with industry
to gather competing ideas on
key work packages of the new
launch system. Industry will
have maximum flexibility for
meeting the requirements.
Consolidation of the
current Phase A will take
place at the Preliminary
Requirements Review (PRR) in
October 2013.
Decisions taken by the
ESA Council at Ministerial
level in November 2012 are
being implemented strictly
and timely.
