Ariane 5
Template:Launching/ArianeTemplate:Launching/ATV
Function | Heavy launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Astrium for ESA and Arianespace |
Country of origin | Europe |
Size | |
Height | 46-52 m (151-170 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (17.7 ft) |
Mass | 777,000 kg (1,712,000 lb) |
Stages | 2 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | G: 16,000 kg ES: 21,000 kg |
Payload to GTO | G: 6,200 kg G+: 6,950 kg GS: 6,100 kg ECA: 10,500 kg |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre |
Total launches | 59 (G: 16, G+: 3, GS: 6) (ECA: 32, ES: 2) |
Success(es) | 55 (G: 13, G+: 3, GS: 6) (ECA: 31, ES: 2) |
Failure(s) | 2 (G: 1, ECA: 1) |
Partial failure(s) | 2 (G) |
First flight | G: 4 June 1996 G+: 2 March 2004 GS: 11 August 2005 ECA: 11 December 2002 ES: 9 March 2008 |
Last flight | G: 27 September 2003 G+: 18 December 2004 GS: 18 December 2009 |
Type of passengers/cargo | Rosetta Automated Transfer Vehicle Herschel Space Observatory Planck |
Boosters - P230 | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Engines | 1 Solid |
Thrust | 6,470 kN each (1,450,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 275 s |
Burn time | 129 seconds |
Propellant | Solid |
First stage (Ariane 5G) | |
Engines | 1 Vulcain |
Thrust | 1,114 kN (250,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 430 s |
Burn time | 589 seconds |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
First stage (Ariane 5 ECA) | |
Engines | 1 Vulcain 2 |
Thrust | 1,340 kN (301,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 431 s |
Burn time | 650 seconds |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
Second stage (Ariane 5G) | |
Engines | 1 Aestus |
Thrust | 27.4 kN (6,160 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 324 s |
Burn time | 1,100 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4/MMH |
Second stage (Ariane 5 ECA) | |
Engines | 1 HM7-B |
Thrust | 64.7 kN (14,500 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 446 s |
Burn time | 960 seconds |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or low Earth orbit (LEO). Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Astrium, an EADS company, is the prime contractor for the vehicles, leading a consortium of sub-contractors. Ariane 5 is operated and marketed by Arianespace as part of the Ariane programme. Astrium builds the rockets in Europe and Arianespace launches them from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
Ariane 5 succeeded Ariane 4, but was not derived from it directly. Ariane 5 has been refined since the first launch in successive versions, "G", "G+", "GS", "ECA", and most recently, "ES". ESA originally designed Ariane 5 to launch the manned mini shuttle Hermes, and thus intended it to be "human rated" from the beginning.
Two satellites can be mounted using a SYLDA carrier (SYstème de Lancement Double Ariane). Three main satellites are possible depending on size using SPELTRA (Structure Porteuse Externe Lancement TRiple Ariane). Up to eight secondary payloads, usually small experiment packages or minisatellites, can be carried with an ASAP (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads) platform.
By mid 2007, Arianespace has ordered a total of 99 Ariane 5 launchers from Astrium. The first batch ordered in 1995 consisted of 14 launchers, while the second—P2—batch ordered in 1999 consisted of 20 launchers. A third—PA—batch consisting of 25 ECA and 5 ES launchers was ordered in 2004. The latest batch ordered in mid 2007 consist of another 35 ECA launchers.[1] Through these orders, the Ariane 5 will be the workhorse of Arianespace at least through 2015.
Vehicle Description
Cryogenic main stage
Ariane 5’s cryogenic H158 main stage (H173 for Ariane 5 ECA) is called the EPC (Étage Principal Cryotechnique - Cryotechnic Main Stage). It consists of a large tank 30.5 metres high with two compartments, one for 130 tonnes of liquid oxygen and one for 25 tonnes of liquid hydrogen, and a Vulcain engine at the base with thrust of 115 tonnes-force (1.13 meganewtons). This part of the first stage weighs about 15 tonnes when empty.
Solid boosters
Attached to the sides are two solid rocket boosters (SRBs or EAPs from the French Étages d’Accélération à Poudre), P238 (P241 for Ariane 5 ECA), each weighing about 277 tonnes full. Each delivers a thrust of about 630 tonnes-force (6.2 MN). These SRBs are usually allowed to sink to the bottom of the ocean, but like the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters they can be recovered with parachutes, and this is occasionally done for post-flight analysis. (Unlike Space Shuttle SRBs Ariane 5 boosters are not reused.) The most recent attempt was for the first Ariane 5 ECA mission. One of the two boosters was successfully recovered and returned to the Guiana Space Center for analysis.[2] Prior to that mission, the last such recovery and testing was done in 2003.
The French M51 SLBM shares a substantial amount of technology with these boosters.
In March 2000 the nose cone of an Ariane 5 booster washed ashore on the South Texas coast, and was recovered by beachcombers.[3]
Second stage
The second stage is on top of the main stage and below the payload. The Ariane 5G used the EPS (Étage à Propergols Stockables - Storable Propellant Stage), which is fueled by monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide, whereas the Ariane 5 ECA uses the ESC (Étage Supérieur Cryotechnique - Cryogenic Upper Stage), which is fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Ariane 5G+ used and Ariane 5 GS and ES use an improved EPS upper stage.
The EPS upper stage is capable of re-ignition, which has been demonstrated twice. The first demonstration occurred 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 into a circular parking orbit.
Fairing
The payload and all upper stages are covered at launch by a fairing, which splits off once sufficient altitude has been reached (typically above 150 km).
Variants
- The original version is dubbed Ariane 5 G (Generic) with a launch mass of 737 tonnes. Its payload capability to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) was initially specified as 5,970 kg (13,160 lb), but was increased after the qualification flights to 6,200 kg (13,700 lb).
- The Ariane 5 G+ had an improved second stage, with a GTO capacity of 6,950 kg (15,320 lb) for a single payload. It flew three times in 2004.
- It was replaced in 2005 by the Ariane 5 GS, with the same EAP boosters as the ECA and ES variants and a first stage based on the later Evolution EPC, but with the original tank volumes and a Vulcain 1B engine. The GS was introduced following the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA flight - since all the vehicles then in production were ECA versions, it was decided to modify some of them to use the original Vulcain engine while the failure was investigated. It can carry a single payload of 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) to GTO. The last of 6 Ariane 5 GS rockets was launched in 2009.
- The Ariane 5 ECA (Evolution Cryotechnique type A) has a GTO launch capacity of 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) for dual payloads or 10,500 kg (23,100 lb) for a single payload. This variant uses a new Vulcain 2 first-stage engine, and an ESC-A (Etage Supérieur Cryogénique-A) second stage, powered by an HM-7B engine, weighing 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) and carrying 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) of cryogenic propellant. The second stage was previously used as the third stage of Ariane 4; in ECA use, the tanks are modified to shorten stage length. The revised Vulcain has a longer, more efficient nozzle with more efficient flow cycle and denser propellant ratio. The new ratio demanded length modifications to the first-stage tanks. Also, the solid EAP casings have been lightened with new welds, and packed with more propellant. The ESC-A cryogenic second stage does not improve the performance to Low Earth orbit compared to Ariane 5G, and for this reason the Ariane 5 ECA will not be used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).
- The Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) is used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a 260 km circular low Earth orbit inclined at 51.6°.[4] It includes all the performance improvements of Ariane 5 ECA on EPC[5] (Etage Principal Cryogénique—main stage) and EAP (Etage d'Accélération à Poudre—solid rocket booster) stages while the second stage is the EPS (Etage à Propergols Stockable) used on Ariane 5 GS variants. It is estimated that the Ariane 5 ES can put up to 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) in LEO. The first such launch occurred at 04:03 GMT on 9 March 2008.
Comparable rockets: Delta IV · Atlas V · Chang Zheng 5 · Angara · Proton · Falcon 9 · H-IIB
Future developments
Ariane 5 ECB
Ariane 5 ECB was planned to have an ESC-B upper stage using a new Vinci expander cycle type engine. The GTO capacity was to increase to 12,000 kg, but ECB was put on hold due to budget cuts.
At an ESA conference (December 2005) in Berlin there was no decision to restart or cancel the program, meaning it is currently on hold. The Vinci engine, which is designed to power the Ariane 5 ECB upper stage, is still being developed, though at a slower pace. At the ESA's Council of Ministers 25–26 November 2008 there was an agreement for the funding of a modernized second stage.[6] On December 21, 2009 EADS Astrium was awarded a €200 million contract to develop the ECB.[7]
Unlike the HM7-B engine, which is not capable of engine restarting, the Vinci engine is capable to do as such for up to five times, allowing increased flexibility, from additional payload capacity to possible direct-to-geosynchronous orbit (GSO) missions. The first successful test firing of this campaign took place on 27 May 2010, while the first flight test of the Vinci engine is not expected until 2016 or 2017.[8]
Solid propellant stage
Work on the Ariane 5 EAP motors have been continued in the Vega programme. The Vega 1st stage engine—the P80 engine—is a shorter derivation of the EAP. The P80 booster casing is made of filament wound graphite epoxy, much lighter than the current stainless steel casing. A new composite steerable nozzle has been developed while new thermal insulation material and a narrower throat improve the expansion ratio and subsequently the overall performance. Additionally, the nozzle now has electromechanical actuators which have replaced the heavier hydraulic ones used for thrust vector control.
These developments will probably later make their way back into the Ariane programme.[9] The incorporation of the ESC-B with the improvements to the solid motor casing and an uprated Vulcain engine would deliver 27,000 kilograms (60,000 lb) to LEO. This would be developed for any lunar missions but the performance of such a design may not be possible if the higher Max-Q for the launch of this rocket poses a constraint on the mass delivered to orbit.[10]
Notable launches
Ariane 5's first test flight (Ariane 5 Flight 501) on 4 June 1996 failed, with the rocket self-destructing 37 seconds after launch because of a malfunction in the control software.[11] 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)[12] because the floating point value was too large to be represented by a 16-bit signed integer. The software was originally written for the Ariane 4 where efficiency considerations (the computer running the software had an 80% maximum workload requirement[12]) led to 4 variables being protected with a handler while 3 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 error".[12] The software, written in Ada, was included in 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[12] 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 the core stage. The upper stage operated successfully but 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 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 800 km above the Earth in the 11th launch. At 8111 kg, it was the heaviest single payload until the launch of the first ATV on March 9, 2008 (~9000 kg).
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 EUR 630 million, was lost in the 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. As of November 2010, the failure of the first ECA launch was the last failure of an Ariane 5; since then, all subsequent launches have been successful, with 44 consecutive successes that stretch back to 9 April 2003 with the launch of INSAT-3A and Galaxy 12 satellites.
On 27 September 2003 the last Ariane 5 G boosted three satellites (including the first European lunar probe, SMART-1), in Flight 162. On 18 July 2004 an Ariane 5 G+ boosted what was at the time the heaviest telecommunication satellite ever, Anik F2, weighing almost 6,000 kg.
The first successful launch of the Ariane 5 ECA 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 originally scheduled for October 2004, but additional testing and the military requiring a launch at that time (of an Helios 2A observation satellite) delayed the attempt.
On 11 August 2005, the first Ariane 5GS (featuring the Ariane 5 ECA's improved solid motors) boosted Thaïcom-4/iPStar-1, the heaviest telecommunications satellite to date at 6,505 kg,[13] into orbit.
On 16 November 2005, the third Ariane 5 ECA 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 rocket's heaviest dual payload to date, at more than 8,000 kg.
On 27 May 2006, an Ariane 5 ECA rocket set a new commercial payload lifting record of 8.2 tonnes. The dual-payload consisted of the Thaicom 5 and Satmex 6 satellites.[14]
On 4 May 2007 the Ariane 5 ECA set another new commercial record, lifting into transfer orbit the Astra 1L and Galaxy 17 communication satellites with a combined weight of 8.6 tonnes, and a total payload weight of 9.4 tonnes.[15] This record was again broken by another Ariane 5 ECA, launching the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites, on 11 November 2007. The total payload weight for this launch was 9,535 kg.[16]
On 9 March 2008, the first Ariane 5 ES-ATV was launched to deliver the first ATV called Jules Verne to the International Space Station. The ATV was the heaviest payload ever launched by a European rocket, 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 5 ECA launched TerreStar-1, the largest commercial telecommunication satellite ever built.
On 28 October 2010, an Ariane 5 ECA launched Eutelsat's W3B (part of its W Series of satellites) and Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT)'s BSAT-3b satellites into orbit. However, 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.[17] The BSAT-3b satellite, however, is operating normally.[18]
Ariane 5 flights
Date & Time (UTC) |
Flight (Vol) | Configuration | Serial number | Payload | Result | # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996-06-04 12:34:06 | V-88[19] | 5G | 501 | Cluster | Failure | 1 |
1997-10-30 13:43:00 | V-101 | 5G | 502 | MaqSat-H, TEAMSAT, MaqSat-B, YES | Partial failure[20] | 2 |
1998-10-21 16:37:21 | V-112 | 5G | 503 | MaqSat 3, ARD | Success | 3 |
1999-12-10 14:32:07 | V-119 | 5G | 504 | XMM-Newton | Success | 4 |
2000-03-21 23:28:19 | V-128 | 5G | 505 | INSAT-3B, AsiaStar | Success | 5 |
2000-09-14 22:54:07 | V-130 | 5G | 506 | Astra 2B, GE-7 | Success | 6 |
2000-11-16 01:07:07 | V-135 | 5G | 507 | PAS-1R, Amsat P3D, STRV 1C, STRV 1D | Success | 7 |
2000-12-20 00:26:00 | V-138 | 5G | 508 | Astra 2D, GE-8, LDREX | Success | 8 |
2001-03-08 22:51:00 | V-140 | 5G | 509 | Eurobird 1, BSAT-2a | Success | 9 |
2001-07-12 22:58:00 | V-142 | 5G | 510 | Artemis, BSAT-2b | Partial failure[21] | 10 |
2002-03-01 01:07:59 | V-145 | 5G | 511 | Envisat | Success | 11 |
2002-07-05 23:22:00 | V-153 | 5G | 512 | Stellat 5, N-Star c | Success | 12 |
2002-08-28 22:45:00 | V-155 | 5G | 513 | Atlantic Bird 1, Meteosat 8 | Success | 13 |
2002-12-11 22:22:00 | V-157 | 5ECA | 517 | Hot Bird 7, Stentor | Failure[22] | 14 |
2003-04-09 22:52:19 | V-160 | 5G | 514 | INSAT-3A, Galaxy 12 | Success | 15 |
2003-06-11 22:38:15 | V-161 | 5G | 515 | Optus and Defence C1, BSAT-2c | Success | 16 |
2003-09-27 23:14:46 | V-162 | 5G | 516 | INSAT-3E, eBird 1, SMART-1 | Success | 17 |
2004-03-02 07:17:44 | V-158 | 5G+ | 518 | Rosetta | Success | 18 |
2004-07-18 00:44:00 | V-163 | 5G+ | 519 | Anik F2 | Success | 19 |
2004-12-18 16:26:00 | V-165 | 5G+ | 520 | Helios 2A, Essaim 1, 2, 3, 4, PARASOL, Nanosat 01 | Success | 20 |
2005-02-12 21:03:00 | V-164 | 5ECA | 521 | XTAR-EUR, Maqsat-B2, Sloshsat | Success | 21 |
2005-08-11 08:20:00 | V-166 | 5GS | 523 | Thaicom 4 | Success | 22 |
2005-10-13 22:32:00 | V-168 | 5GS | 524 | Syracuse 3A, Galaxy 15 | Success | 23 |
2005-11-16 23:46:00 | V-167 | 5ECA | 522 | Spaceway F2, TELKOM-2 | Success | 24 |
2005-12-21 22:33:00 | V-169 | 5GS | 525 | INSAT-4A, Meteosat 9 | Success | 25 |
2006-03-11 22:32:50 | V-170 | 5ECA | 527 | Spainsat, Hot Bird 7A | Success[23] | 26 |
2006-05-26 21:09 | V-171 | 5ECA | 529 | Satmex 6, Thaicom 5 | Success[24] | 27 |
2006-08-11 22:15 | V-172 | 5ECA | 531 | JCSAT-10, Syracuse 3B | Success[25] | 28 |
2006-10-13 20:56:00 | V-173 | 5ECA | 533 | DirecTV-9S, Optus D1, LDREX-2 | Success[26] | 29 |
2006-12-08 22:08:00 | V-174 | 5ECA | 534 | WildBlue 1, AMC-18 | Success[27] | 30 |
2007-03-11 22:03 | V-175 | 5ECA | 535 | Skynet 5A, INSAT-4B | Success[28] | 31 |
2007-05-04 22:29 | V-176 | 5ECA | 536 | Astra 1L, Galaxy 17 | Success[29] | 32 |
2007-08-14 23:44 | V-177 | 5ECA | 537 | Spaceway-3, BSAT-3A | Success[30] | 33 |
2007-10-05 22:02 | V-178 | 5GS | 526 | Intelsat 11, Optus D2 | Success[31] | 34 |
2007-11-14 22:06 | V-179 | 5ECA | 538 | Skynet 5B, Star One C1 | Success[32] | 35 |
2007-12-21 21:41 | V-180 | 5GS | 530 | RASCOM-QAF 1, Horizons-2 | Success[33] | 36 |
2008-03-09 04:03 | V-181 | 5ES | 528 | ATV-1 "Jules Verne" | Success[34] | 37 |
2008-04-18 22:17 | V-182 | 5ECA | 539 | Star One C2, Vinasat-1 | Success[35] | 38 |
2008-06-12 22:05 | V-183 | 5ECA | 540 | Turksat 3A, Skynet 5C | Success[36] | 39 |
2008-07-07 21:47 | V-184 | 5ECA | 541 | Badr-6, ProtoStar I | Success[37] | 40 |
2008-08-14 20:44 | V-185 | 5ECA | 542 | AMC-21, Superbird 7 | Success[38] | 41 |
2008-12-20 22:35 | V-186 | 5ECA | 543 | Eutelsat W2M, Hot Bird 9 | Success[39] | 42 |
2009-02-12 22:09 | V-187 | 5ECA | 545 | Hot Bird 10, NSS-9, Spirale A, Spirale B | Success[40] | 43 |
2009-05-14 13:12 | V-188 | 5ECA | 546 | Herschel, Planck | Success[41] | 44 |
2009-07-01 19:52 | V-189 | 5ECA | 547 | TerreStar-1 | Success[42] | 45 |
2009-08-21 22:09 | V-190 | 5ECA | 548 | JCSAT-12, Optus D3 | Success[43] | 46 |
2009-10-01 21:59 | V-191 | 5ECA | 549 | Amazonas 2, COMSATBw-1 | Success[44] | 47 |
2009-10-29 20:00 | V-192 | 5ECA | 550 | NSS-12, Thor 6 | Success[45] | 48 |
2009-12-18 16:26 | V-193 | 5GS | 532 | Helios 2B | Success[46] | 49 |
2010-05-21 22:01 | V-194 | 5ECA | 551 | Astra 3B, COMSATBw-2 | Success[47] | 50 |
2010-06-26 21:41 | V-195 | 5ECA | 552 | Arabsat-5A, COMS-1 | Success[48] | 51 |
2010-08-04 20:59 | V-196 | 5ECA | 554 | Nilesat 201, RASCOM-QAF 1R | Success[49] | 52 |
2010-10-28 21:51 | V-197 | 5ECA | 555 | Eutelsat W3B, BSAT-3b | Success[50] | 53 |
2010-11-26 18:39 | V-198 | 5ECA | 556 | Intelsat 17, HYLAS 1 | Success[51] | 54 |
2010-12-29 21:27 | V-199 | 5ECA | 557 | Koreasat 6, HispaSat-1E | Success[52] | 55 |
2011-02-16 21:50 | V-200 | 5ES | 544 | ATV-2 "Johannes Kepler" | Success[53] | 56 |
2011-04-22 21:37 | VA-201 | 5ECA | 558 | Yahsat 1A, Intelsat New Dawn | Success[54] | 57 |
2011-05-20 20:38 | VA-202 | 5ECA | 559 | ST-2, GSAT-8 | Success[55] | 58 |
2011-08-06 22:52 | VA-203 | 5ECA | 560 | ASTRA 1N, BSAT 3c | Success[56] | 59 |
Scheduled flights
Date | Flight | Configuration | Serial number | Payload | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011-09-09 | VA-204 | 5ECA | Arabsat 5C & SES 2 |
See also
References
- ^ "Ariane 5 milestones". ESA. 2008.
- ^ "France in Space #387". Office of Science and Technology Embassy of France in the USA.
- ^ "NASA confirms French nose cone found". UPI. March 2, 2000.
- ^ "Ariane 5 ES ATV" (PDF). ESA. 2008.
- ^ ESA launchers glossary
- ^ "ESA's Council of Ministers decides the future of European space exploration".
- ^ "ESA signs contract for Ariane 5 rocket enhancements".
- ^ "First test of Vinci M3 engine a success!".
- ^ "Successful firing of Vega's first-stage motor in Kourou". ESA. November 30, 2006.
- ^ David Iranzo-Greus (2005-03-23). "Ariane 5 – A European Launcher for Space Exploration" (PowerPoint presentation). EADS SPACE Transportation. Retrieved 2008-04-10. [dead link ]
- ^ Wired.com: "History's Worst Software Bugs" (Retrieved 3 September 2009)
- ^ a b c d Ariane 5 Flight 501 Failure, Report by the Inquiry Board http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/esa-x-1819eng.pdf
- ^ Gunter's Space Page - Information on Launch vehicles, Satellites, Space Shuttle and Astronautics
- ^ "Ariane lifts record dual payload". BBC NEWS. May 27, 2006.
- ^ "Ariane 5 – second launch of six in 2007". ESA. May 5, 2007.
- ^ "Ariane 5 – fifth launch of six in 2007". ESA. November 11, 2007.
- ^ "EUTELSAT STATEMENT on LOSS OF W3B SATELLITE" (Press release). Eutelsat Communications. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ "All Systems Are Nominal Aboard Lockheed Martin Bsat-3b Satellite Following Oct. 28 Launch". Lockheed Martin. 2010-11-04.
- ^ "V88 Ariane 501" (in French). 1997.
- ^ "Ariane 502 - Results of detailed data analysis". ESA. 1998-04-08.
- ^ "Ariane Launch Report: Ariane 5 failure investigation focuses on upper stage". Spaceflight Now. 2001-07-13.
- ^ "Arianespace releases initial information on Flight 157". ESA. 2002-12-12.
- ^ "First Ariane launch of 2006". ESA. 2006-03-12.
- ^ "Ariane 5 ECA carries record payload mass to GTO". ESA. 2006-05-28.
- ^ "Ariane 5 launches two telecommunications satellites". ESA. 2006-08-12.
- ^ "Fourth Ariane 5 launch of 2006". ESA. 2006-10-16.
- ^ "Fifth Ariane 5 launch completes a busy year". ESA. 2006-12-09.
- ^ "First Ariane 5 launch of 2007". ESA. 2007-03-12.
- ^ "Ariane 5 – second launch of six in 2007". ESA. 2007-05-05.
- ^ "Arianespace boosts SPACEWAY 3 and BSAT-3a into orbit". Arianespace. August 14, 2007.
- ^ "Arianespace boosts Intelsat 11 and Optus D2 into orbit". Arianespace. October 5, 2007.
- ^ "Ariane 5 - fifth launch of six in 2007". ESA. 2007-11-15.
- ^ "Sixth successful Arianespace mission in 2007: RASCOM-QAF1 and Horizons-2 in orbit". Arianespace. December 21, 2007.
- ^ "Mission Accomplished! Arianespace launches Jules Verne ATV to the International Space Station". Arianespace.
- ^ "Arianespace orbits Star One C2 and VINASAT-1: Second successful launch in 2008". Arianespace.
- ^ "Successful dual launch for Arianespace: Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A in orbit; 25th successful launch in a row for Ariane 5". Arianespace.
- ^ "Another successful Arianespace launch: ProtoStar I and BADR-6 are in orbit". Arianespace.
- ^ "Another successful Arianespace launch: Superbird-7 and AMC-21 in orbit". Arianespace.
- ^ "Two Eutelsat satellites are orbited by Arianespace on Ariane 5's 28th consecutive mission success". Arianespace.
- ^ "Ariane 5 begins 2009 with another successful launch at Arianespace's service". Arianespace.
- ^ "Arianespace launches two spacecraft on missions to explore the universe". Arianespace.
- ^ "Ariane 5 soars to another heavy-lift success in lofting the TerreStar-1 mobile communications satellite". July 1, 2009.
- ^ Ariane 5's fourth launch of 2009 orbits the JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 payloads for two key Arianespace Asian-Pacific customers "Ariane 5 soars to another heavy-lift success in lofting the TerreStar-1 mobile communications satellite". August 21, 2009.
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: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ "Another Arianespace launch success and a new commercial record for Ariane 5". Arianespace. October 1, 2009.
- ^ "Ariane 5 delivers the NSS-12 and THOR 6 television broadcast satellites on Arianespace's sixth mission of 2009". Arianespace. October 29, 2009.
- ^ "Arianespace delivers Helios 2B into Sun-synchronous polar orbit on Ariane 5's seventh flight of 2009". Arianespace. December 18, 2009.
- ^ "Arianespace's double success: 50th Ariane 5 mission, 36th successful launch in a row - ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 in orbit". Arianespace. May 21, 2010.
- ^ "Mission accomplished! Arianespace orbits Arabsat-5A and COMS". Arianespace. June 26, 2010.
- ^ "Arianespace Flight 196 orbits satellites for Africa and the Middle East". Arianespace. August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Arianespace orbits satellites for Eutelsat and B-SAT". Arianespace. October 28, 2010.
- ^ "Arianespace orbits INTELSAT 17 and HYLAS 1". Arianespace. November 26, 2010.
- ^ "Arianespace 6 for 6 in 2010: Last mission of the year orbits Hispasat 1E and Koreasat 6". Arianespace. December 29, 2010.
- ^ "Mission accomplished! ATV2 cargo vessel en route for the International Space Station". Arianespace. February 16, 2011.
- ^ "Arianespace launch a success: Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn in orbit". Arianespace. April 22, 2011.
- ^ "Arianespace launch for Asia and India ST-2 and GSAT-8 satellites in orbit". Arianespace. May 20, 2011.
- ^ "A boost for direct broadcast satellites: ASTRA 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R in orbit". Arianespace. August 6, 2011.
External links
- Astrium Ariane 5 page
- Ariane 5 User's Manual
- Ariane launches page on LyngSat
- ESA description of the Ariane 5
- Ariane 5 technical notes, available as PDF from http://www.arianespace.com/site/documents/document_sub_index.html
- Template:En icon [1]
- Template:En icon Actually Launch on Arianespace Homepage
- Template:En icon The last and the next Launch
- BBC News report on the (delayed) successful launch of the Ariane 5 ECA flight on November 16, 2005.
- Vinci Engine development
- Watch an Ariane 5 launch (webcast begins 20 mins before launch).
- Ariane 5 rocket explodes
- Ariane 5 launch schedules