Airbus Defence and Space wins new ESA
contract for Ariane 6
12 February 2014
Airbus Defence and Space, number two worldwide in space
technologies, has been awarded a 60–million-euro contract by the
European Space Agency (ESA) to continue definition and
feasibility studies in 2014 for the new Ariane 6 European
launcher.
These studies will pinpoint the detailed architecture developed
so far and consolidate the launcher’s main characteristics. The
results of these studies will be revealed in November 2014 at
ESA’s System Requirements Review (SRR).
Validation of the programme’s smooth progress should allow ESA
to set the specifications of the Ariane 6 launch system, which
will then enable member states to decide on continuation of the
new launcher’s development at the next ESA Ministerial Council
meeting, scheduled for December 2014.
Airbus Defence and Space will continue fine tuning the
definition of the Ariane 6 launcher, while in parallel
developing the Ariane 5 ME launcher and, in particular,
developing many features common to both Ariane 5 ME and Ariane
6. The ESA contracts awarded to Astrium (now integrated into
Airbus Defence and Space) in 2013 include developing the Ariane
5 ME with the aim of improving Ariane 5 performance by over 20%
by 2018.
At the November 2012 Ministerial Council meeting, ESA decided to
commence definition studies for the new Ariane 6 launcher and to
continue with the development of Ariane 5 ME, while also seeking
to maximise synergies between the two future launchers.
