LIVE: Ariane 5 GS launch - Helios IIB - December 18, 2009

[anik]

Maintaining Arianespace's mission pace: the seventh Ariane 5 for launch in 2009 arrives at the Spaceport
September 23, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/639.asp

Launch vehicles for three upcoming Arianespace missions are now at the Spaceport in French Guiana following this week’s delivery of components for Ariane 5’s record seventh flight of 2009.

The latest Ariane 5 was delivered by the MN Toucan, which is one of two roll-on/roll-off sea-going vessels that transport launchers and other hardware from Arianespace’s European manufacturing network to the launch site in South America.

It was unloaded from the MN Toucan at Pariacabo port near Kourou and transferred by road to the Spaceport, where it is ready to enter the production flow – beginning with its initial build-up in the Launcher Integration Building. 

The Launcher Integration Building currently is occupied by the sixth Ariane 5 for launch in 2009, which has completed its basic assembly process and is awaiting the transfer to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building.  The Final Assembly Building is hosting the no. 5 launcher for 2009, which is now poised to receive its dual satellite payload of the German COMSATBw-1 military communications satellite and HISPASAT’s Amazonas 2 commercial relay platform.

The coordinated movement of launchers will begin with the September 29 rollout of the fifth Ariane 5 from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, where it is scheduled for an evening liftoff on September 30.  When the rollout occurs, the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building will be ready to receive Arianespace’s no. 6 launch vehicle, which is to be transferred from the Launcher Integration Building – opening this facility for the build-up start of the seventh Ariane 5 to be launched in 2009.

Arianespace is maintaining its sustained Ariane 5 launch pace to meet the company’s growing list of payloads booked by international customers.  The seven missions targeted for 2009 will mark the busiest calendar year for Arianespace’s workhorse launcher since its commercial introduction in 1999.

[catfry]

A larger than usual number of european and british military birds this year I think.

[anik]

Integration begins for the seventh Ariane 5 to be launched in 2009
October 15, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/648.asp (with photos!)

The seventh and final Ariane 5 for launch in 2009 has begun its assembly process in French Guiana, maintaining the pace for Arianespace’s busiest year of flight activity since this workhorse launcher’s December 1999 commercial introduction.

[Ben the Space Brit]

I'm assuming that the Ariane-5 GS is a variant like the Ariane-5 ECA.  Could someone point me to a link showing the differences between the variants? Thanks in advance.

[MKremer]

I'm assuming that the Ariane-5 GS is a variant like the Ariane-5 ECA.  Could someone point me to a link showing the differences between the variants? Thanks in advance.

GS used a hypergolic US (limited to ≤ 6800kg to GTO)
ECA is LOX/LH2.

[mainstreet]

A GS is essentially a Ariane V ES, which is used to launch the ATV, but equipped with a Vulcain 1 instead of a Vulcain 2 engine.

This will propably be the last launch of a GS.

[catfry]

Huh. I could have sworn no further Vulcain 1 engines existed but it seems you are right:

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Access_to_Space/SEMGPDVLWFE_0.html

The Ariane 5 GS is the latest evolution of the Ariane-5 Generic launcher, produced after the end of the Ariane 5 G+ series.

This version integrates more recent elements produced in the frame of the Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES ATV developments. It incorporates:
EAP boosters with more propellant in the S1 segments
a composite VEB with the electrical equipments identical to those produced for the Ariane 5 ECA version
an EPS stage loaded with 300 kg more propellant
 
 
The central core stage (EPC) uses the Vulcain 1B engine which delivers a thrust level of 110 tonnes.

[Stephan]

Launch on december 9 at 16:26 UTC according Arianespace guys.

[satlaunch]

Basic assembly is completed for the seventh Ariane 5 to be launched in 2009
October 28, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/654.asp

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s seventh and final flight of 2009 has completed its basic buildup in the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building at French Guiana, maintaining the company’s sustained mission pace with the commercial launch vehicle.

Once final check-out steps are completed, this Ariane 5 will be ready for transfer to the Final Assembly Building, where payload installation is to occur.  The Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building is now ready to receive the launcher following today’s rollout of another Ariane 5, which is slated for liftoff tomorrow with the NSS-12 and THOR 6 satellites.

Arianespace’s mission flexibility is enhanced by the Spaceport’s infrastructure, which allows two Ariane 5 flights to be prepared in parallel.

Beginning in 2010, the company’s family of launch vehicles will be expanded with Arianespace’s introduction of the medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.

[jacqmans]

The seventh Ariane 5 of 2009 is delivered to Arianespace
November 16, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/656.asp
 
Arianespace has received the seventh Ariane 5 for launch in 2009, which is scheduled for liftoff on December 9 with the Helios 2B French military reconnaissance satellite.

The Ariane 5 GS version of Arianespace’s workhorse vehicle is now in the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building following its delivery by prime contractor EADS Astrium Space Transportation. 

Helios 2B will be the latest in a family of military observation satellites launched by Ariane, and this payload was built by EADS Astrium.  Arianespace’s customer on the upcoming mission is the CNES French space agency, operating on behalf of France’s DGA defense procurement organization.

Ariane 5 has flown two other missions in 2009 with military payloads.  Germany’s COMSATBw-1 secure communications satellite was launched October 1, and a pair of Spirale auxiliary passengers was orbited on February 12 to serve as demonstrators for a future French defense early warning system.

[Stephan]

The launch kit is available :
http://www.arianespace.com/news-launch-kits/launch-kit.asp

[jacqmans]

Ariane 5 is readied for its launch of the Helios 2B reconnaissance satellite
December 2, 2009

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/657.asp

Arianespace’s wrap-up Ariane 5 flight of 2009 has entered final preparations for its liftoff next week with France’s Helios 2B military observation satellite.

This seventh launch of the year is set for 1:26 p.m. on December 9 from the Spaceport in French Guiana, with its payload to be injected into a Sun-synchronous polar orbit during a mission lasting 59 min., 23 sec.   

Helios 2B will weigh approximately 4,200 kg. at liftoff and was produced by EADS Astrium as prime contractor.  The satellite’s European industrial team also includes Thales Alenia Space, which supplied the reconnaissance satellite’s high resolution imaging instrument.   

Managing the Helios 2B program is the French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction générale de l’armement).  The DGA assigned contracting authority for the space segment to the French CNES space agency – the direct customer for Arianespace on this December 9 mission.

An Ariane 5 GS is being used for this 49th launch of Arianespace’s workhorse vehicle.  The GS version is tailored for low-Earth orbit payloads such as Helios 2B, and is operated along with the Ariane 5 ECA on missions to geostationary transfer orbit that carry telecommunications satellite payloads.  As a result, Arianespace utilizes two standardized launcher configurations, ensuring high reliability and availability through production repeatability.

Helios 2B is the second satellite in a new-generation spaceborne observation system for military applications that has been created by France in conjunction with Belgium, Spain, Italy and Greece.   All of the previous Helios 2 and Helios 1 satellites have been launched by Ariane vehicles, beginning with Helios 1A in July 1995.

[Lewis007]

The launch posters for this V-193 mission have been published.

[DT1]

Huh. I could have sworn no further Vulcain 1 engines existed but it seems you are right:

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Access_to_Space/SEMGPDVLWFE_0.html

The Ariane 5 GS is the latest evolution of the Ariane-5 Generic launcher, produced after the end of the Ariane 5 G+ series.

This version integrates more recent elements produced in the frame of the Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES ATV developments. It incorporates:
EAP boosters with more propellant in the S1 segments
a composite VEB with the electrical equipments identical to those produced for the Ariane 5 ECA version
an EPS stage loaded with 300 kg more propellant
 
 
The central core stage (EPC) uses the Vulcain 1B engine which delivers a thrust level of 110 tonnes.

This is indeed the last 5GS flight - and the 5GS was intruduced after the failure of the first Vulcain 2 flight back in December 2002.

But as the EPC of the 5G and 5G+ was already out of production, the 5GS has to use the Vulcain 2 EPC resulting in the lowest payload capacity of all Ariane 5 versions. Therfore this version was only built six times.

[Analyst]

Isn't the Vulcain 2 EPC more powerful than the 5G/5G+ EPC? Or is it more massive because of the ECA upper stage. I am confused.

EDIT: O.k I got it: It is a heavier EPC (for Vulcian 2/ECA) with the old Vulcain 1.

Analyst

[DT1]

Isn't the Vulcain 2 EPC more powerful than the 5G/5G+ EPC? Or is it more massive because of the ECA upper stage. I am confused.

EDIT: O.k I got it: It is a heavier EPC (for Vulcian 2/ECA) with the old Vulcain 1.

Analyst

Yes, just to add to the explanation: Vulcain 2 has a 20% higher mixture ratio and for this extra liquid oxygen (which makes the EPC heavier) the EPC common tank bulkhead was lowered. The last of the old EPCs flew with the last 5G+ (coincidentally with Helios IIA) in December 2004.

[Holi]

Arianespace Mission Update:

http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/658.asp

December 7, 2009

Arianespace’s seventh and final Ariane 5 launch of 2009 has been given the green light today, clearing this mission for a mid-day liftoff on December 9 with the French Helios 2B military observation satellite...This clears the way for tomorrow morning’s rollout of the Ariane 5 GS from its Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana...

Holi

[anik]

Ready for liftoff: Ariane 5 is in the launch zone with its Helios 2B military satellite payload
December 8, 2009

Arianespace has rolled out its seventh Ariane 5 for launch in 2009, preparing the final mission of this year for a daytime liftoff tomorrow at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The workhorse vehicle was transferred to the ELA-3 launch zone this morning under sunny skies, emerging at 9:45 a.m. local time from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building – where the Ariane 5 had been fitted with its Helios 2B satellite payload.

This year-ending flight will involve a northward trajectory, with the French-built spacecraft being injected into a Sun-synchronous polar orbit at the conclusion of a 59 min., 23 sec. mission.

The launcher version to be used on this mission is an Ariane 5 GS.  It is powered during initial phases of flight by the Vulcain main engine and two solid rocket boosters, followed by the storable propellant upper stage’s burn for some 16 minutes to achieve orbital injection altitude.

[jcm]

OK, here's something odd in the Arianespace press kit:

"The Ariane 5GS launcher will be carrying a total payload of 5954 kg, including 4200 kg for the Helios 2B satellite."

That leaves 1754 kg for.... what?

[robertross]

Whether it coincides with the original in French?

"...sur l'orbite visée."

It needs the equivalent of a Centaur upper stage to raise it's orbit. That must be the missing mass.