Misplaced Pages

#792207

83-491: LSA was established during 2003. In the event of one of the commercial partners not being able to execute a launch on time, one of the other partners could provide an alternative service, under a set of contractual conditions agreed between the participating companies. Such transfers would be made at the customer's discretion. The LSA offered this service for the Ariane 5 and H-IIA expendable launch systems ; it previously offered

166-509: A SYLDA ( Système de Lancement Double Ariane , meaning "Ariane Double-Launch System") carrier system. Up to three, somewhat smaller, main satellites are possible depending on size using a SPELTRA ( Structure Porteuse Externe Lancement Triple Ariane , which translates to "Ariane Triple-Launch External Carrier Structure"). Up to eight secondary payloads, usually small experiment packages or minisatellites , could be carried with an ASAP (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads) platform. Following

249-425: A 5.4 m (18 ft) diameter by 30.5 m (100 ft) high tank with two compartments, one for liquid oxygen and one for liquid hydrogen , and a Vulcain 2 engine at the base with a vacuum thrust of 1,390 kN (310,000 lb f ). The H173 EPC weighed about 189 t (417,000 lb), including 175 t (386,000 lb) of propellant. After the main cryogenic stage runs out of fuel, it re-entered

332-529: A European crew transport system was eliminated because Russian and American needs were already satisfied. Accordingly, ESA abandoned the Hermes project. Hermes was intended as a reusable launch system to transport astronauts and moderate-size cargo payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO) and back. Hermes bears a resemblance to other reusable launch vehicles such as the Space Shuttle . However, unlike

415-487: A European launch vehicle, providing supplies to the space station with necessary propellant, water, air and dry cargo. This was the first operational Ariane mission which involved an engine restart in the upper stage. The ES-ATV Aestus EPS upper stage was restartable while the ECA HM7-B engine was not. On 1 July 2009, an Ariane 5ECA launched TerreStar-1 (now EchoStar T1), which was then, at 6,910 kg (15,230 lb),

498-498: A commercial record, lifting Yahsat 1A and Intelsat New Dawn with a total payload weight of 10,064 kg (22,187 lb) to transfer orbit. This record was later broken again during the launch of Ariane 5ECA flight VA-208 on 2 August 2012, lifting a total of 10,182 kg (22,447 lb) into the planned geosynchronous transfer orbit, which was broken again 6 months later on flight VA-212 with 10,317 kg (22,745 lb) sent towards geosynchronous transfer orbit. In June 2016,

581-467: A crewed version of Ariane. Two different concepts included a capsule and a glider. In 1983, CNES opted to focus on a space plane that would deliver greater convenience, comfort, and cost-effectiveness. A space plane would simplify recovery by having the necessary cross-range manoeuvrability to reach a given point on the Earth within a single day, while providing for a less challenging re-entry environment for

664-404: A design might not have been possible if the higher Max-Q for the launch of this launch vehicle would have posed a constraint on the mass delivered to orbit. The design brief of the next generation launch vehicle Ariane 6 called for a lower-cost and smaller launch vehicle capable of launching a single satellite of up to 6,500 kg (14,300 lb) to GTO. However, after several permutations

747-521: A maximum of 90 days. According to CNES, Hermes would have been subject to more extreme re-entry conditions than the Space Shuttle due to its smaller size exposing the vehicle to higher aerothermal pressures. The baseline thermal protection, was to withstand temperatures of 1,400-1,600 °C for a minimum of 20 minutes and studied by Dassault and SEP, would have consisted of carbon elements with an anti- oxidant coating applied to portions of

830-572: A monitoring computer, and three digital databuses . Electrical power was to be provided by a motor that would have used liquid oxygen - liquid hydrogen along with ten US-built fuel cells . The environmental control and life support systems supply pressurisation of the cabin, along with air, water, and warmth, to support the crew for a maximum of 40 days, although may have been potentially extendable to enable 90 day missions. Hermes could have operated autonomously for up to one month, and would be able to remain docked with an orbiting space station for

913-591: A new commercial payload lifting record of 8,200 kg (18,100 lb). The dual-payload consisted of the Thaicom 5 and Satmex 6 satellites. On 4 May 2007, the Ariane 5ECA set another new commercial record, lifting into transfer orbit the Astra 1L and Galaxy 17 communication satellites with a combined weight of 8,600 kg (19,000 lb), and a total payload weight of 9,400 kg (20,700 lb). This record

SECTION 10

#1732780839793

996-614: A partnership with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA) which reduced the need for an independent spaceplane. As a result, no Hermes shuttles were ever built. During the 2010s, it was proposed to resurrect the Hermes vehicle as a partially reusable air-launched spaceplane launch system , known as SOAR . During the 1960s and 1970s, there was increasing recognition by European nations that more international cooperation would be necessary for large space projects. In 1973,

1079-486: A replacement space station for Mir . Economic concerns prevented RKA from participating in a future launcher program, but at this point ESA's crew transport needs were reoriented towards the capsule system (as opposed to the glider system of Hermes ) called for by the joint Russian/European designs. When both Russia and ESA joined with NASA to build the International Space Station , the need for

1162-571: A telemetry loss occurred between the launch vehicle and the ground controllers. It was later confirmed, about 1 hour and 20 minutes after launch, that both satellites were successfully separated from the upper stage and were in contact with their respective ground controllers, but that their orbital inclinations were incorrect as the guidance systems might have been compromised. Therefore, both satellites conducted orbital procedures, extending commissioning time. SES-14 needed about 8 weeks longer than planned commissioning time, meaning that entry into service

1245-785: A third burn after ATV deployment to de-orbit the stage. This procedure was repeated for all subsequent ATV flights. Ariane 5ECA used the ESC ( Étage Supérieur Cryotechnique — Cryogenic Upper Stage), which was fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The ESC used the HM7B engine previously used in the Ariane 4 third stage. The propellent load of 14.7 tonne allowed the engine to burn for 945 seconds while providing 6.5 tonne of thrust. The ESC provided roll control during powered flight and full attitude control during payload separation using hydrogen gas thrusters. Oxygen gas thrusters allowed longitudinal acceleration after engine cutoff. The flight assembly included

1328-525: Is made by the end customer. Despite the formation of LSA, the three partner companies retained autonomy over their own operations and continued to independently market their respective commercial satellite launch capabilities. For Arianespace, its involvement in LSA represented a further diversification of their launch services. During October 2003, LSA services were used for the first time when Arianespace transferred satellite DirecTV-7S delayed in manufacturing to

1411-460: The Ariane 4 where efficiency considerations (the computer running the software had an 80% maximum workload requirement ) led to four variables being protected with a handler while three others, including the horizontal bias variable, were left unprotected because it was thought that they were "physically limited or that there was a large margin of safety". The software, written in Ada , was included in

1494-484: The Cold War was ending. As a result, ESA commenced a year-long "reflection" period to determine whether it still made sense for Europe to build its own space shuttle and space station or if new partners could be found to share cost and development. Officially, Phase 1 completed at the end of 1992. Phase 2 never began, after ESA and the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA) agreed to cooperate on future launchers and

1577-529: The Columbus module of the International Space Station ). Development of Hermes was to proceed in two phases: Phase 1 was scheduled to end in 1990. Its plans called for the capability to lift 6 astronauts and 4,550 kg (10,030 lb) of cargo, but after the Challenger disaster, an ejection capacity was added to give astronauts at least a small chance of survival in case of catastrophe. Accordingly,

1660-636: The European Space Agency (ESA). It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana . It was used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), low Earth orbit (LEO) or further into space. The launch vehicle had a streak of 82 consecutive successful launches between 9 April 2003 and 12 December 2017. Since 2014, Ariane 6 , a direct successor system, first launched in 2024. The system

1743-580: The European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) — a precursor to the European Space Agency (ESA) — commenced development of a heavy expendable launch system later named the Ariane . The French space agency Centre National D'études Spatiales (CNES), desired greater autonomy to avoid overreliance upon NASA , and envisaged a European-built human-capable space vehicle that would operate in conjunction with other ESA assets such as Ariane. In 1976, CNES commenced studies into

SECTION 20

#1732780839793

1826-576: The Zenit-3SL as well. Following the end of the Cold War and the institution of the peace dividend , the aerospace industry went through a period of consolidation, mergers and partnerships. More specifically, a glut in affordable space launches during the early 2000s placed incumbent providers under pressure to respond. During 2001, the Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and American aerospace firm Boeing Launch Services announced

1909-419: The Ariane 5 through the reuse of an entire Ariane 4 subsystem despite the fact that the particular software containing the bug, which was just a part of the subsystem, was not required by the Ariane 5 because it has a different preparation sequence than the Ariane 4. The second test flight (L502, on 30 October 1997) was a partial failure. The Vulcain nozzle caused a roll problem, leading to premature shutdown of

1992-460: The Ariane 5ECA took place on 12 February 2005. The payload consisted of the XTAR-EUR military communications satellite, a 'SLOSHSAT' small scientific satellite and a MaqSat B2 payload simulator. The launch had been scheduled for October 2004, but additional testing and a military launch (of a Helios 2A observation satellite) delayed the attempt. On 11 August 2005, the first Ariane 5GS (featuring

2075-539: The Ariane 5ECA's improved solid motors) boosted Thaicom 4 , the heaviest telecommunications satellite to date at 6,505 kg (14,341 lb), into orbit. On 16 November 2005, the third Ariane 5ECA launch (the second successful ECA launch) took place. It carried a dual payload consisting of Spaceway F2 for DirecTV and Telkom-2 for PT Telekomunikasi of Indonesia . This was the launch vehicle's heaviest dual payload to date, at more than 8,000 kg (18,000 lb). On 27 May 2006, an Ariane 5ECA launch vehicle set

2158-539: The Ariane 5ME with total development effort expected to cost €1 billion. On 21 November 2012, ESA agreed to continue with the Ariane 5ME to meet the challenge of lower priced competitors. It was agreed the Vinci upper stage would also be used as the second stage of a new Ariane 6, and further commonality would be sought. Ariane 5ME qualification flight was scheduled for mid-2018, followed by gradual introduction into service. On 2 December 2014, ESA decided to stop funding

2241-465: The Ariane programme, but this was most likely an inference based on early blueprints of the Ariane 6 having a central P80 booster and 2-4 around the main one. The incorporation of the ESC-B with the improvements to the solid motor casing and an uprated Vulcain engine would have delivered 27,000 kg (60,000 lb) to LEO. This would have been developed for any lunar missions but the performance of such

2324-679: The GTO record was raised to 10,730 kg (23,660 lb), on the first rocket in history that carried a satellite dedicated to financial institutions. The payload record was pushed a further 5 kg (11 lb), up to 10,735 kg (23,667 lb) on 24 August 2016 with the launch of Intelsat 33e and Intelsat 36 . On 1 June 2017, the payload record was broken again to 10,865 kg (23,953 lb) carrying ViaSat-2 and Eutelsat-172B . In 2021 VA-255 put 11,210 kg into GTO. On 25 January 2018, an Ariane 5ECA launched SES-14 and Al Yah 3 satellites. About 9 minutes and 28 seconds after launch,

2407-580: The Guiana Space Center for analysis. Prior to that mission, the last such recovery and testing was done in 2003. The French M51 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) shared a substantial amount of technology with these boosters. In February 2000, the suspected nose cone of an Ariane 5 booster washed ashore on the South Texas coast, and was recovered by beachcombers before the government could get to it. The second stage

2490-503: The Space Shuttle, Hermes was substantially smaller. It did not share the ogival planform of the Shuttle, instead opting for a highly- swept delta wing complete with wingtip devices , similar to the proposed Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar spacecraft. Like the Shuttle, the pressurised cabin could seat more than five people, two of whom would serve as pilots, while the unpressurised aft cargo bay would have been fitted with large doors spanning

2573-404: The Space Shuttle, Hermes could not carry heavy cargoes as that role was to be performed by the uncrewed Ariane 5 . Hermes was envisioned to transport a maximum of three astronauts along with a 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) pressurized payload. The launch weight would be up to 21,000 kg (46,000 lb), the practical upper limit of an extended Ariane 5 launcher. Hermes was to be launched as

Launch Services Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-474: The Vehicle Equipment Bay, with flight electronics for the entire rocket, and the payload interface and structural support. The payload and all upper stages were covered at launch by a fairing for aerodynamic stability and protection from heating during supersonic flight and acoustic loads. It was jettisoned once sufficient altitude has been reached, typically above 100 km (62 mi). It

2739-501: The W3B satellite failed to operate shortly after the successful launch and was written off as a total loss due to an oxidizer leak in the satellite's main propulsion system. The BSAT-3b satellite, however, is operating normally. The VA253 launch on 15 August 2020 introduced two small changes that increased lift capacity by about 85 kg (187 lb); these were a lighter avionics and guidance-equipment bay, and modified pressure vents on

2822-527: The Zenit-3SL launch on 4 May 2004. During May 2004, the first contract for LSA services was signed for the Optus D1 satellite; Ariane 5 was assigned as the primary launch vehicle while the Zenit-3SL was served as backup. During 2005, LSA announced that the organisation had signed its fifth contract. During April 2007, the LSA was reformed by Arianespace and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; the main change being

2905-453: The aerodynamic and aerothermal aspects of the design. Arianespace was responsible for the Ariane 5 launcher and a strong candidate to manage operation of the infrastructure for Hermes . On 25 October 1985, the proposal for Hermes was presented to the partner nations of the ESA. A deadline of March 1987 was set for the 'Europeanisation' of the programme, under which portions of work for Hermes

2988-699: The aerodynamic properties of the vehicle by completing a 1.4- tonne , 1-scale aerothermal demonstrator, named Maia , to be launched by an Ariane 4 for re-entry studies. Four typical missions were projected for Hermes : After each mission, Hermes would be refurbished at a dedicated facility in Europe. Around 40 days prior to a launch date, the vehicle would be transported on a specially-modified Airbus A300 airliner to its launch site in Kourou , French Guiana , where it would be integrated with its payload and installed atop an Ariane 5 rocket prior to being transferred to

3071-534: The atmosphere for an ocean splashdown. Attached to the sides were two P241 (P238 for Ariane 5G and G+) solid rocket boosters (SRBs or EAPs from the French Étages d'Accélération à Poudre ), each weighing about 277 t (611,000 lb) full and delivering a thrust of about 7,080 kN (1,590,000 lb f ). They were fueled by a mix of ammonium perchlorate (68%) and aluminium fuel (18%) and HTPB (14%). They each burned for 130 seconds before being dropped into

3154-426: The auspices of the ESA. Hermes was to have keyed a crewed spaceflight program launched by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle . In November 1987, the project was approved for pre-development from 1988 to 1990, after which authorisation for full development was required. However, the project experienced numerous delays and funding issues. In 1992, Hermes was cancelled due to high cost and unachievable performance, as well as

3237-493: The core stage. The upper stage operated successfully, but it could not reach the intended orbit. A subsequent test flight (L503, on 21 October 1998) proved successful and the first commercial launch (L504) occurred on 10 December 1999 with the launch of the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory satellite. Another partial failure occurred on 12 July 2001, with the delivery of two satellites into an incorrect orbit, at only half

3320-487: The crew and payload. Reusability would also reduce the cost of successive missions. Critical technologies identified included thermal protection , environmental controls , life support systems , aerodynamics , and power. During the mid-1980s, in addition to the Columbus Man-Tended Free Flyer (an independent European space station ) and the Ariane 5 heavy launch vehicle, CNES championed

3403-553: The development and production of the Space Shuttle as a European initiative akin to the reusable space vehicle programs of the Soviet Union's Buran and the US Space Shuttle . On 18 October 1985, CNES appointed French aerospace company Aérospatiale as the primary contractor for Hermes, the name that had been given to the spacecraft. French aircraft manufacturer Dassault-Breguet was awarded responsibility for

Launch Services Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-557: The development of Ariane 5ME and instead focus on Ariane 6, which was expected to have a lower cost per launch and allow more flexibility in the payloads (using two or four P120C solid boosters depending on total payload mass). Work on the Ariane 5 EAP motors was continued in the Vega programme. The Vega 1st stage engine – the P80 engine – was a shorter derivation of the EAP. The P80 booster casing

3569-509: The failure of the first ECA flight in 2002, combined with a deteriorating satellite industry, caused ESA to cancel development in 2003. Development of the Vinci engine continued, though at a lower pace. The ESA Council of Ministers agreed to fund development of the new upper stage in November 2008. In 2009, EADS Astrium was awarded a €200 million contract, and on 10 April 2012 received another €112 million contract to continue development of

3652-570: The finalized design was nearly identical in performance to the Ariane 5, focusing instead on lowering fabrication costs and launch prices. As of March 2014 , Ariane 6 was projected to be launched for about €70 million per flight, about half of the Ariane 5 price. Initially development of Ariane 6 was projected to cost €3.6 billion. In 2017, the ESA set 16 July 2020 as the deadline for the first flight. The Ariane 6 successfully completed its maiden flight on 9 July 2024. Ariane 5's first test flight ( Ariane 5 Flight 501 ) on 4 June 1996 failed, with

3735-537: The first ECA launch was the last failure of an Ariane 5 until flight 240 in January 2018. On 27 September 2003, the last Ariane 5G boosted three satellites (including the first European lunar probe, SMART-1 ), in Flight 162. On 18 July 2004, an Ariane 5G+ boosted what was at the time the heaviest telecommunication satellite ever, Anik F2 , weighing almost 6,000 kg (13,000 lb). The first successful launch of

3818-755: The formation of a strategic alliance to cooperate on various space-related opportunities; specifically, this alliance applied to space-based communications, air traffic management, multimedia, navigation, space and communications services, launch services and space infrastructure markets. During July 2003, the Launch Services Alliance (LSA) was originally formed, then consisting of the multinational aerospace company Arianespace with Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and American aerospace firm Boeing Launch Services ; at this time, Boeing provided Sea Launch Zenit-3SL launch services at that time. The decision to switch between launchers

3901-535: The height of the intended GTO. The ESA Artemis telecommunications satellite was able to reach its intended orbit on 31 January 2003, through the use of its experimental ion propulsion system. The next launch did not occur until 1 March 2002, when the Envisat environmental satellite successfully reached an orbit of 800 km (500 mi) above the Earth in the 11th launch. At 8,111 kg (17,882 lb), it

3984-508: The intended altitude, they had been programmed for the standard geostationary transfer orbit of 90° when the payloads were intended to be 70° for this supersynchronous transfer orbit mission, 20° off norme. This mission anomaly marked the end of 82nd consecutive success streak since 2003. Ariane 5 launch vehicles had accumulated 117 launches, 112 of which were successful, yielding a 95.7% success rate. Between April 2003 and December 2017, Ariane 5 flew 83 consecutive missions without failure, but

4067-568: The island of Fort de France and unspecified airstrips in Bermuda . In the event of an aborted launch during the first 84 seconds, Hermes would be able to return to Kourou. A later abort would likely necessitate a water landing in the Atlantic Ocean , after which the vehicle would need to be retrieved by a recovery ship. Other emergency landing strips were to be designated, dependent upon the specifics of each mission. A full scale mockup

4150-541: The largest and most massive commercial telecommunication satellite ever built at that time until being overtaken by Telstar 19 Vantage , at 7,080 kg (15,610 lb), launched aboard Falcon 9 . The satellite was launched into a lower-energy orbit than a usual GTO, with its initial apogee at roughly 17,900 km (11,100 mi). On 28 October 2010, an Ariane 5ECA launched Eutelsat 's W3B (part of its W Series of satellites) and Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT)'s BSAT-3b satellites into orbit. But

4233-558: The launch of 15 August 2020, Arianespace signed the contracts for the last eight Ariane 5 launches, before it was succeeded by the new Ariane 6 launcher, according to Daniel Neuenschwander, director of space transportation at the ESA. Ariane 5 flew its final mission on 5 July 2023. Ariane 5's cryogenic H173 main stage (H158 for Ariane 5G, G+, and GS) was called the EPC ( Étage Principal Cryotechnique — Cryotechnic Main Stage). It consisted of

SECTION 50

#1732780839793

4316-526: The launch pad. Mission control was to be based at Toulouse , France. During a typical mission, communications and tracking would have been performed by a planned European network of data relay satellites with coverage across 75% of a Hermes mission at a 28.5° orbit at an altitude of 400 km (250 mi). Following a mission, Hermes would land at Istres-Le Tubé Air Base near Istres . Other potential landing sites were mooted, including Guiana Space Centre , Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport on

4399-648: The launch vehicle suffered a partial failure in January 2018. All launches are from Guiana Space Centre , ELA-3 . Hermes (spacecraft) Hermes was a proposed spaceplane designed by the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) in 1975, and later by the European Space Agency (ESA). It was superficially similar to the American Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar and the larger Space Shuttle . In January 1985, CNES proposed to proceed with Hermes development under

4482-669: The length of the bay along the fuselage. The vehicle would have been powered by a pair of 2,000N-thrust liquid propellant rocket motors identical to those used on the L4 low-energy upper stage of the Ariane 5. Aerodynamic control would have been provided via a total of seven flight control surfaces , the wingtip rudders , trailing edge elevon / air brakes , and a body-mounted flap ; these surfaces would have been controlled via quadruplex-redundant digital flight controls and actuated via triplex-redundant hydraulics. Mission management would have been performed via three general-purpose computers,

4565-755: The new Ariane 6 . With first flight planned for 2018, it would have become ESA's principal launcher until the arrival of the new Ariane 6 version. ESA halted funding for the development of Ariane 5ME in late 2014 to prioritize development of Ariane 6. The Ariane 5ME was to use a new upper stage, with increased propellant volume, powered by the new Vinci engine . Unlike the HM-7B engine, it was to be able to restart several times, allowing for complex orbital maneuvers such as insertion of two satellites into different orbits, direct insertion into geosynchronous orbit, planetary exploration missions, and guaranteed upper stage deorbiting or insertion into graveyard orbit . The launcher

4648-419: The nose and leading edges of the wings, while thermal tiles were to have covered the underside of the wing and fuselage. These tiles would have employed thin, reinforced ceramic -carbon honeycomb composite insulating layers separated by thin sheets of metal alloy to reflect the heat; an alternative concept for the tiles would have employed higher metallic portions in place of ceramics. The upper surfaces of

4731-519: The ocean. The SRBs were usually allowed to sink to the bottom of the ocean, but, like the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters , they could be recovered with parachutes, and this was occasionally done for post-flight analysis. Unlike Space Shuttle SRBs, Ariane 5 boosters were not reused. The most recent attempt was for the first Ariane 5 ECA mission in 2009. One of the two boosters was successfully recovered and returned to

4814-567: The payload fairing, which were required for the subsequent launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. It also debuted a location system using Galileo navigation satellites . On 25 December 2021, VA256 launched the James Webb Space Telescope towards a Sun–Earth L 2 halo orbit . The precision of trajectory following launch led to fuel savings credited with potentially doubling the lifetime of

4897-416: The rocket self-destructing 37 seconds after launch because of a malfunction in the control software. A data conversion from 64- bit floating-point value to 16-bit signed integer value to be stored in a variable representing horizontal bias caused a processor trap (operand error) because the floating-point value was too large to be represented by a 16-bit signed integer. The software had been written for

4980-432: The six seats were curtailed to three regular ejection seats , which were chosen over an ejectable crew capsule that would have offered an escape option at heights above 28 km (17 mi). The cargo capacity was reduced to 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Hermes would not be able to place objects into orbit because its cargo hold could not be opened, That option was abandoned due to weight concerns. Although Hermes

5063-411: The telescope by leaving more hydrazine propellant on board for station-keeping than was expected. According to Rudiger Albat, the program manager for Ariane 5, efforts had been made to select components for this flight that had performed especially well during pre-flight testing, including "one of the best Vulcain engines that we've ever built." On 22 April 2011, the Ariane 5ECA flight VA-201 broke

SECTION 60

#1732780839793

5146-495: The upper stage of the Ariane 5. Prior to the 1986 redesign, Hermes was a single spaceplane containing (front to back) a crew compartment for six, an airlock, an unpressurized cargo hold similar to Buran's and the Shuttle's, and a service module. After the 1986 Challenger accident it was substantially redesigned. The crew cabin shrank to carry three astronauts, with the cargo hold pressurized and unable to carry or retrieve satellites. Hermes now consisted of two separate sections:

5229-418: The vehicle itself and a cone-shaped Resource Module having a docking mechanism attached to the vehicle's rear, which was detached and discarded prior to re-entry . Only the crewed vehicle would re-enter Earth's atmosphere and be re-used. The Resource Module and the launcher would be expended. When launching the Hermes, the Ariane 5 would have had its upper stage replaced by the space plane and an adaptor to mate

5312-469: The vehicle to the main cryogenic stage. The equipment bay of the launcher would also be removed and the spaceplane would perform all guidance and control functions. The development of the Ariane 5 was strongly influenced by the requirements of Hermes , such as the extra aerodynamic loads along with an increased reliability factor of 0.9999, while retaining minimal impact on the launcher's commercial competitiveness on non- Hermes missions. In comparison to

5395-487: The vehicle would have been subject to less heat than the lower surfaces, and used flexible blanket-like low-density, glassfibre-ceramic layers. The shape of Hermes had been effectively frozen by November 1985. It was refined by subsonic wind tunnel testing in the Onera, constrained by the requirements of subsonic flight. In order to gather valuable data in the face of Europe's lack of experience, Dassault proposed validating

5478-455: The vehicles, leading a multi-country consortium of other European contractors. Ariane 5 was originally intended to launch the Hermes spacecraft, and thus it was rated for human space launches . Since its first launch, Ariane 5 was refined in successive versions: "G", "G+", "GS", "ECA", and finally, "ES". The system had a commonly used dual-launch capability, where up to two large geostationary belt communication satellites can be mounted using

5561-463: The withdrawal of Boeing from any involvement in the venture. Since fiscal year 2007, responsibility for both production and management of the H-IIA launch system was transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the partnership with Arianespace was hoped to help the former enter the market. Ariane 5 Ariane 5 is a retired European heavy-lift space launch vehicle operated by Arianespace for

5644-462: The work dependent upon individual partners increasing their stake in the programme. Early on, there was optimism that securing the funding from ESA members to proceed would not be difficult. In November 1987, the ESA issued its approval. As envisaged, by 1995 Hermes would enable the ESA to service the planned Columbus Man-Tended Free Flyer (MTFF) (the MTFF was restructured and ultimately manufactured as

5727-451: Was again broken by another Ariane 5ECA, launching the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites, on 11 November 2007. The total payload weight for this launch was of 9,535 kg (21,021 lb). On 9 March 2008, the first Ariane 5ES-ATV was launched to deliver the first ATV called Jules Verne to the International Space Station (ISS). The ATV was the heaviest payload ever launched by

5810-430: Was also confirmed healthy after more than 12 hours without further statement, and like SES-14, Al Yah 3's maneuvering plan was also revised to still fulfill the original mission. As of 16 February 2018, Al Yah 3 was approaching the intended geostationary orbit, after series of recovery maneuvers had been performed. The investigation showed that invalid inertial units' azimuth value had sent the vehicle 17° off course but to

5893-417: Was also to include a lengthened fairing up to 20 m (66 ft) and a new dual launch system to accommodate larger satellites. Compared to an Ariane 5ECA model, the payload to GTO was to increase by 15% to 11,500 kg (25,400 lb) and the cost-per-kilogram of each launch was projected to decline by 20%. Originally known as the Ariane 5 ECB , Ariane 5ME was to have its first flight in 2006. However,

5976-530: Was assigned. The work share was attributed 15% to West Germany , 13% to Italy , 7% to Belgium , 5% to the Netherlands , 4% each to the United Kingdom , Spain , and Sweden , and 2% or less to Switzerland , Austria , Denmark and Ireland . Potential participation by Norway and Canada was mooted. France held a 50 percent share of the work, although CNES was open to further redistribution of

6059-645: Was built in 1986, and was shown in 1987 at Le Bourget in May, followed by Madrid in September and Toulouse during October - November. The following year (1988) the mockup was shown at Strasbourg in Abril, Hanover in May, and Bordeaux in December. With the end of the project in 1993, this mockup was transferred to ENSICA ( École nationale supérieures d'ingénieurs de construction aéronautique ) in 1996. In 2005 it

6142-409: Was capable of repeated ignition, first demonstrated during flight V26 which was launched on 5 October 2007. This was purely to test the engine, and occurred after the payloads had been deployed. The first operational use of restart capability as part of a mission came on 9 March 2008, when two burns were made to deploy the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a circular parking orbit, followed by

6225-517: Was designed as an expendable launch vehicle by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French government's space agency, in cooperation with various European partners. Despite not being a direct derivative of its predecessor launch vehicle program, it was classified as part of the Ariane rocket family . Aérospatiale , and later ArianeGroup , was the prime contractor for the manufacturing of

6308-463: Was lost in the Atlantic Ocean . The fault was determined to have been caused by a leak in coolant pipes allowing the nozzle to overheat. After this failure, Arianespace SA delayed the expected January 2003 launch for the Rosetta mission to 26 February 2004, but this was again delayed to early March 2004 due to a minor fault in the foam that protects the cryogenic tanks on the Ariane 5. The failure of

6391-419: Was made by Ruag Space and since flight VA-238 it was composed of 4 panels. As of November 2014 , the Ariane 5 commercial launch price for launching a "midsize satellite in the lower position" was approximately €50 million, competing for commercial launches in an increasingly competitive market . The heavier satellite was launched in the upper position on a typical dual-satellite Ariane 5 launch and

6474-468: Was made of filament wound graphite epoxy, much lighter than the current stainless steel casing. A new composite steerable nozzle was developed while new thermal insulation material and a narrower throat improved the expansion ratio and subsequently the overall performance. Additionally, the nozzle had electromechanical actuators which replaced the heavier hydraulic ones used for thrust vector control. These developments could maybe have made their way back into

6557-448: Was on top of the main stage and below the payload. The original Ariane — Ariane 5G — used the EPS ( Étage à Propergols Stockables — Storable Propellant Stage), which was fueled by monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide , containing 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) of storable propellant . The EPS was subsequently improved for use on the Ariane 5G+, GS, and ES. The EPS upper stage

6640-498: Was originally viewed as fully reusable (up to 30 re-entries before major service), the limited capacity of the Ariane 5 launcher forced it to leave the Resource Module in orbit. A new resource module would be attached to the Hermes and the entire structure would be launched again. Phase 1 was not completed until the end of 1991 and by then the political climate had changed considerably. The Iron Curtain had been lifted and

6723-422: Was priced higher than the lower satellite, on the order of €90 million as of 2013 . Total launch price of an Ariane 5 – which could transport up to two satellites to space, one in the "upper" and one in the "lower" positions – was around €150 million as of January 2015 . The Ariane 5 ME (Mid-life Evolution) was in development into early 2015, and was seen as a stopgap between Ariane 5ECA/Ariane 5ES and

6806-498: Was reported early September instead of July. Nevertheless, SES-14 is still expected to be able to meet the designed lifetime. This satellite was originally to be launched with more propellant reserve on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle since the Falcon 9, in this specific case, was intended to deploy this satellite into a high inclination orbit that would require more work from the satellite to reach its final geostationary orbit. The Al Yah 3

6889-475: Was the heaviest single payload until the launch of the first ATV on 9 March 2008, at 19,360 kg (42,680 lb). The first launch of the ECA variant on 11 December 2002 ended in failure when a main booster problem caused the rocket to veer off-course, forcing its self-destruction three minutes into the flight. Its payload of two communications satellites ( STENTOR and Hot Bird 7 ), valued at about €630 million,

#792207