Astrium has started to conduct feasibility studies for its planned heavy-lift Ariane 6 launcher after receiving funding from the European Space Agency.
The company, the aerospace subsidiary of EADS, has received €108m worth of prime contractor…
Astrium has started to conduct feasibility studies for its planned heavy-lift Ariane 6 launcher after receiving funding from the European Space Agency.
The company, the aerospace subsidiary of EADS, has received €108m worth of prime contractor agreements, which cover the development of the Ariane 6 as well as work to modernise the current Ariane 5 rocket used by Arianespace.
Ariane 6’s feasibility and definition stage, which will refine its concept and architecture, is expected to last six months. An initial outline describes it as a modular rocket with a payload capacity of between three and 6.5 metric tons. Astrium plans to develop a system that will cost €70m per launch.
The upper stage of the heavy lift rocket will be powered by a restartable engine being developed by French manufacturer Snecma called Vinci. It is the same engine that will be used on the Ariane 5 successor that Astrium is currently developing.
According to Astrium, the modernised version of the Ariane 5 rocket, to be called Ariane 5 ME, will boost launch capacity by a fifth compared with the existing rocket for the same price. This would reduce launch costs by 20% per kilogramme
During a meeting in November, the ESA Ministerial Council agreed to proceed with Ariane 5 ME’s final development phase, with a view to launching a maiden flight in 2017-2018.
Astrium said it is looking to identify as many synergies as possible within the development of Ariane 5 ME and Ariane 6 programmes, like the Vinci engine, to get both launchers off the ground as quickly as possible.
Alain Charmeau, CEO of Astrium Space Transportation, said: “The studies for the industrial development of Ariane 6 will pave the way for this truly next generation launcher. Manufacturing of Ariane 5 ME will begin immediately, and with more than three years work already completed by us we are on target for the first flight in five years’ time.”
