The old and the new, foreground the new #Ariane6 vulcain 2.1 demonstration engine nozzle, background the current #Ariane5 one, via @GKNAero https://t.co/8qTAG3d0NK
Waiting for the press release, but the first test of an Ariane-6 side booster was a success.
NEW TYPE OF BOOSTER CASING FOR ARIANE 6 SUCCESSFULLY TESTEDThis morning, MT Aerospace AG, a space technology company based in Augsburg, Germany and subsidiary of the listed technology group OHB SE*, successfully tested a new technology for carbon fiber-reinforced (CFRP) booster casings.With a diameter of 3.5 meters and a length of 6 meters, the booster was tested at the Materials Testing Institute in Stuttgart to determine whether it meets representative requirements as seen during an Ariane launch. Simulating pressure loads over 125 bar, the CFRP booster casing successfully passed all tests.Franz Josef Pschierer, the Bavarian state secretary for economics and technology commented: The successful test of the CFRP booster casing marks an important step in the development of the ARIANE 6 launch vehicle and, hence, for the European space industry as a whole. I congratulate MT Aerospace AG on this success. This not only benefits Augsburg but strengthens the status of the entire state of Bavaria as one of the leading hubs of high-tech research and production.MT Aerospace has been working since summer 2013 on the development of the state-of-the-art production technology for carbon-fiber processing together with the DLR Center for Lightweight Production Technology (DLR-ZLP) on behalf of the European Space Agency ESA (FORC project) and the Bavarian government (DLR-ZLP project KOFFER). Featuring infusion technology, the newly developed process leads to lower cost when compared to conventional wet-winding processes, substantially enhancing the competitiveness of the new European launch vehicle.Since 2015 MT Aerospace has been already involved in the development and industrialization of the Ariane 6 CFRP booster. Alongside Colleferro near Rome, Augsburg is selected to be the second production site for CFRP booster casing for the new European launch vehicle, replacing the previous steel versions of Ariane 5. The successful test marked the completion of a crucial milestone in the development programme.The maiden flight for the new ARIANE 6 is scheduled for 2020.
Fresh images from #CSG showing flame trench progress for the future #Ariane6 pad #ELA4 via @CNES
Good view of the foundations of the Mobile Gantry being constructed for #Ariane6 launch pad #ELA4 at #CSG
@arianespaceceo S. Israel to France Infos: W/ Ariane 6 in 2020, we'll reduce each launch campaign from 31 days for Ariane 5 now, to 9 days.
The picture that DutchSpace tweet'ed most likely origionated from this French articlefutura-sciences / ariane 6 construction In the article there is also a picture that shows that progress is made on the steel structure of the horizontal (core) assembly building.
ARIANE 6 - PROGRAM STATUSProgram on-track for 1st launch July 16st, 2020Key milestones:1. Vulcain 2.1 firing test from October 20172. Vinci qualification campaign end of November 20173. MG6.2 in November-December 2017: authorize start of serial production4. P12OC 1st firing test in April 20185. MG7 in June 2018: end of critical design6. Technical Qualification in September 2019 and start of combined tests in November 2019
Peter B. de Selding, Space Intel Report:ArianeGroup lays out transition to Ariane 6, phase-out of Ariane 5 and SoyuzThe article is mainly a summary of the User's Day slides I linked above.
First P120C SRM propellant casting complete at Regulus. One more step towards Ariane 6 and Vega C