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Vulcain 2 Engine Now In Full Production
Vernon, France (ESA) Apr 06, 2005 A small ceremony took place Tuesday at the site of Snecma Moteurs in Vernon, France, to mark the beginning of industrial production of the Vulcain 2 engine, designed for the new Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES ATV launchers. Present at the ceremony was Patrick Devedjian, the French Minister for Industry and Jean-Paul Bechat, Chairman of the Executive Board of Sagem-Snecma. ESA was represented by Antonio Fabrizi, Director of Launchers and Robert Laine, Head of the Ariane Department. "As the 12 February Ariane 5 ECA qualification flight was a complete success; we can now go into full production of the Vulcain 2 engine," said Jean-Paul Bechat. The Vulcain 2 is used for the main stage of the Ariane 5 ECA that can place payloads of up to 10 tonnes into geostationary orbit, and by the Ariane 5 ES ATV, designed to deliver ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to the International Space Station (ISS). Ariane 5 ES ATV's maiden flight is planned for 2006. It will place the ATV into a 300 km circular low Earth orbit, inclined to 51.6 degrees, from where the ATV will use its own propulsion system to reach and dock with the ISS. Vulcain 2 is a modification of the Vulcain cryogenic engine used by the Ariane 5 Generic launcher and has an increased thrust of 20%. The engine operates under slightly higher pressure than that used for the Ariane 5 G and with a mixture ratio of 20% more liquid oxygen. Its new oxygen turbopump operates at 13 000 rpm to deliver a pressure of 161 bar. This redesigned engine also has a new nozzle and nozzle extension to allow exhaust from the turbopumps to be re-injected into the main system, thus improving engine performance at high altitudes. All these modifications mean that the Vulcain 2 engine can provide an additional lift capability of 1.3 tonnes into geostationary orbit. During yesterday's ceremony, those present met with the Vulcain 2 designers and technicians, and visited the test centre to see a Vulcain 2 engine, the first produced under a contract for 30 engines. Antonio Fabrizi said after the ceremony: "This first contract for Vulcain 2 engines has been placed under the European Guaranteed Access to Space Ariane 5 Programme. It ensures that Ariane 5 launchers will be available for European missions." Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SNECMA Ariane 5 ECA - New elements Ariane 5 ES ATV Ariane 5 ECA SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com
Successful First Test For Vega's Zefiro 9 Engine
Paris, France(ESA) Dec 28, 2005Flames, smoke and a deafening noise accompanied the first firing test of Vega's Zefiro 9 third-stage solid rocket motor. A first examination of the data indicates that everything went well at the test carried out yesterday at Salto de Quirra in southeast Sardinia. |
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