Germany has informed the European Space Agency that German spending on launch vehicles will remain flat for the next decade, a decision that complicates the agency’s already difficult attempt to secure funding and design consensus for a new-generation Ariane rocket. Because of Germany’s weight in any realistic rocket-funding scenario in Europe, the German decision means the 20-nation ESA will be limited to an annual launcher budget of around 850 million euros ($1.2 billion) per year between 2015 and 2024.
A European Space Agency bid-evaluation team is expected to deliver its judgment by July 5 on two different designs for a next-generation Ariane 6 rocket — one it has been examining for about a year, and another it only discovered June 18.
What do Airbus Group and Safran recommend for Europe’s future Ariane 6 launcher?We’re ready to propose to the European Space Agency (ESA) two versions of this launcher, called Ariane 6.1 and 6.2. Each of these versions will comprise a solid-propellant first stage, with two P145 boosters, and a new central stage derived from the current stage and using the Vulcain 2 cryogenic engine developed by Snecma, at optimized cost. The difference between the two versions is in the upper stage: Ariane 6.1 will be based on the Vinci engine (also developed by Snecma), as on the Ariane 5 ME (Midlife Evolution), while the Ariane 6.2 upper stage would be powered by an Aestus engine (developed by Airbus Defence and Space, formerly Astrium), as on the Ariane 5ES*.Ariane 6.1 would be able to boost up to 8.5 metric tons into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), making it possible to launch two satellites that weigh up to four metric tons and use electric propulsion – reflecting a major market trend over the past two years. Ariane 6.2 would be intended mainly for smaller satellites, especially those launched by governments.We believe that this configuration would reduce the development efforts needed for Ariane 6, while still meeting the cost and performance objectives stipulated by ESA. Furthermore, it would provide the modularity requested by customers, and would also offer synergies with the entire family of European launchers, including Vega.
Airbus Defends Springing Last-minute Ariane 6 Design on ESAOne industry official conceded that the new version’s commercial variant, to carry up to 8,500 kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit for telecommunications satellites, would cost around 100 million euros per launch instead of the 70 million euros that ESA and CNES had sought in their design.
So I stumbled upon this neat little article:http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28166626It features concepts for the Safran/Airbus-proposed A6 versions (attached).
Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, said last night during the speeches after the VA219 flight, that a joint proposal for future launchers will be made by ESA, the space agencies and industry before the 15th September, 2014.
Ariane 6 objectives and main missionsThe overarching aim of Ariane 6 is to provide guaranteed access to space for Europe at a competitive price without requiring public sector support for exploitation.Different concepts have been examined for Ariane 6 such as single- and dual-payloads, solid or cryogenic propulsion for the main stage, and the number of stages (three or more), all to cover a wide range of missions: - GEO, either directly or through intermediate orbits, in particular GTO and LEO,- Polar/SSO,- MEO or MTO,- other.The targeted payload performance of Ariane 6 is 4.5 t for polar/Sun-synchronous orbit missions at 800 km altitude and 3–10 t, with two main segments (3.5-5 t and 6–6.5 t) in GTO-equivalent.The exploitation cost of the Ariane 6 launch system is its key driver. The first flight is targeted for 2020. Ariane 6 conceptsConfigurations that maximise commonalities between the rockets’ stages, and flexibility for adapting to an evolving commercial market, are considered more likely to lead to a competitive launch service price.Ariane 6 is a modular three-stage launcher (solid–cryogenic–cryogenic) with two configurations using: four boosters (A64) or two boosters (A62).This is based on:- A main stage containing liquid oxygen and hydrogen based on the Vulcain engine of Ariane 5 ECA and ME;- Two or four P120 solid rocket boosters, which will be common with Vega-C (an evolution of the current Vega launcher);- A cryogenic upper stage (LOX/LH2) propelled by a Vinci engine, based on the A5ME upper stage, with limited adaptations.Ariane 6 in its A62 or A64 configuration is deemed the best possible long-term solution to maintain competences in Europe and deliver launch services against competitive costs.Ariane 6 will have reignition capability and will be capable of performing a direct deorbiting and controlled reentry of the upper stage.Flexibility is a design characteristic for A64 and A62. In essence it is the same launcher, responding to different market needs by varying the number of boosters in the configuration.The A62, with two P120 solid boosters, will be used mainly in single-launch configurations, while the A64 – with four P120 solids – will enable double launch of medium-class satellites up to 4.5–5 t, mainly for commercial market needs.The main characteristics of the Ariane 6 concept are:- The total length of the vehicle is around 63 m,- The loading of the cryogenic main stage is about 149 tonnes of propellants,- The external diameter of the cryogenic main stage is about 4.6 m.
The European Space Agency is proposing to inject 8 billion euros ($10 billion) into Europe’s launch sector over 10 years starting in 2015, including some 4.3 billion euros on a new Ariane 6 rocket, on the basis of a contract arrangement with industry in which ESA guarantees five government missions per year and, in return, industry fends for itself on the wider commercial market.
Nice link at the bottom of the articleAnswers to Questions of Germany
Quote from: hektor on 11/07/2014 12:02 pmNice link at the bottom of the articleAnswers to Questions of GermanyAnd already removed. Did anyone save a copy? If yes, please post it here. Thank you.