ESA's Herschel and Planck launcher contract signed (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

14 December 2005

ESA's Herschel and Planck launcher contract signed

The European Space Agency and the French company Arianespace signed a
contract yesterday for the provision of an Ariane 5 ECA launcher for the
Herschel and Planck spacecraft.

Herschel will study the birth of galaxies and stars and Planck the very
early history of the Universe.

ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall for
Arianespace signed the contract during a ceremony that took place at ESA
Headquarters in Paris, France.

The Ariane 5 ECA, an upgraded version of the previous Ariane 5 G
('generic') launcher, successfully completed its qualification after its
demonstration flight on 12 February and a commercial launch on 16
November this year.

Herschel and Planck will be launched on the so-called 'long-fairing'
version of Ariane 5 ECA to accommodate the two spacecraft, which are 7.5
metres and 4.2 metres high, respectively, with a total launch mass of
5.3 tons.

The launcher will deliver both spacecraft on the transfer orbit towards
their final observation site -- an orbit around the second Lagrangian
point (L2) situated at 1.5 million kilometres from Earth away from the Sun.

Ariane 5 ECA, featuring an enhanced thrust and control capability, is
perfectly suited to carry heavy loads like the Herschel and Planck
couple into this particular and highly energy-demanding trajectory to
destination.

The Herschel and Planck launch is currently scheduled for launch in late
2007/early 2008.

For more information:

Thomas Passvogel, ESA Herschel/Planck Project Manager
E-mail: thomas.passvogel @ esa.int

More about...

* Herschel overview
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120390_index_0_m.html
* Planck overview
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120398_index_0_m.html

Related articles

* Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB3AR1VED_index_0.html
* The largest telescope mirror ever put into space
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMC7W1PGQD_extreme_0.html
* Why infrared astronomy is a hot topic
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMX9PZO4HD_FeatureWeek_0.html
* Revealing the invisible: Caroline and William Herschel
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM8600P4HD_index_0.html
* How many stars are there in the Universe?
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM75BS1VED_extreme_0.html
* L2, the second Lagrangian Point
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMO4QS1VED_index_0.html

Related links

* Arianespace
http://www.arianespace.com
* About Ariane 5 ECA
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launcher...LR2PGQD_0.html
* Ariane 5 ECA
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launcher...7N2PGQD_0.html

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8S2WLWFE_index_1.html]
ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall for
Arianespace signed the contract during a ceremony that took place at ESA
Headquarters in Paris, France, on 13 December 2005.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja

[Image 2:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8S2WLWFE...html#subhead1]
Artist's impression of Herschel and Planck in Ariane launcher fairing.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja