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A Dedicated Ariane 5 To Launch Jules Verne



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 30th 05, 10:22 AM
Jacques van Oene
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Default A Dedicated Ariane 5 To Launch Jules Verne

A Dedicated Ariane 5 To Launch Jules Verne

Paris, France (ESA) May 30, 2005

Jules Verne, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), will be launched
next year by a specific version of Ariane 5 called the Ariane 5 Evolution
Storable upper stage Automated Transfer Vehicle, or A5 ES-ATV for short.

Although the ATV does not use the powerful ECA version of Ariane 5, which
was launched successfully into geostationary orbit in February 2005, it does
need an Ariane 5 equipped with the powerful Vulcain 2 main engine, and
featuring the storable propellant upper stage (Etage a Propergols Stockables
or EPS) and its re-ignitable engine, the Aestus.

Some adaptations to the launcher are also necessary to ensure compatibility
with the heavy ATV spacecraft and its specific delivery orbit.
For the recurring flights, the launcher will inject the 20 750 kg ATV into
the International Space Station orbital plane in low Earth orbit at 300 km
altitude inclined 51.6 degrees above the Equator.

For the first ATV mission, Jules Verne with a mass of 19 600 kg, the orbit
is also slightly lower at 260 km.

New mission for Ariane 5

Since it is the first time the European heavy launcher will aim at such a
low Earth orbit (LEO) trajectory and since it will launch its heaviest
payload ever, the Ariane 5 ES-ATV is going through some hardware adaptation
and some specific tests and studies.
The 20 750 kg ATV mass represents more than twice the heaviest single
payload Ariane 5 has ever lifted in the past, including Envisat, the 8-tonne
environment satellite.

"To handle such a heavy-weight, the Vehicle Equipment Bay, supporting the
ATV on top of the launcher, has been structurally redesigned and
strengthened accordingly," explains Julio Monreal, ESA's head of Ariane
operations support, in charge of the ATV-Ariane 5 interfaces.
The second main adaptation activity has been to analyze and review the
piloting of the 775-tonne Ariane 5 during ascent and insertion taking into
consideration the aerodynamic, thermal and electromagnetic environments.

With such a huge mass at the top of Ariane 5, the rocket's centre of gravity
is quite different to any previous Ariane 5 launch.
"It will be a major milestone for Ariane 5 to lift such a record payload in
low Earth orbit and it will show a new capability of this multi-task
launcher. The work to enlarge the Ariane 5 flight domain has been made
possible thanks to the united efforts of teams from ESA, CNES, Arianespace
and the Ariane industry", underlines Jean-Michel Desobeau, Arianespace's ATV
Programme Director.

Jules Verne ascent and insertion

About three and a half minutes after lift-off from Europe's Spaceport in
French Guiana, the Ariane 5 long version fairing protecting the ATV is
ejected.

Five and a half minutes later, the main cryogenic stage (Etage a Propergol
Cryogénique or EPC) separates, leaving the ATV attached to the upper stage.
The upper stage carries the ATV to a circular orbit at an altitude of 260
km, using two powered phases with its Aestus motor, separated by a 45-minute
ballistic phase:

- After EPC separation, the EPS upper stage motor, Aestus, is ignited for
about eight minutes, over the Atlantic Ocean, before the ballistic
trajectory, which describes half an orbit around the Earth.
- Whilst passing over southeast Australia, the Ariane 5 re-ignites, a first
time, for 40 seconds its EPS upper stage Aestus motor to circularize the
orbit at an altitude of 260 km. Four minutes later, the ATV separates over
the Pacific and becomes a fully automated spaceship, navigating towards the
International Space Station.
- Meanwhile, the EPS and the equipment bay of the Ariane 5 fulfil a last and
important task. One orbit later, now over western Australia, Aestus
re-ignites briefly, for a second time, causing the launcher to de-orbit
safely and burn up during a precise re-entry over a predefined uninhabited
South Pacific area.

The adaptation of Ariane 5 has required two and a half years of work. This
ESA programme has been implemented by the French space agency CNES through
EADS Space Transportation, the prime contractor.

From January 2006 on, the launcher will be ready for the Jules Verne
mission. Later on in 2006, Arianespace will handle the launch itself in
French Guiana according to the requirements of ESA in coordination with NASA
and Russian counterparts.

"With the launch of Jules Verne and the follow-up ATVs flights, the whole
Ariane 5 transportation system is starting a new era related to human
spaceflights; although no crew will be launched in an ATV, this vehicle
complies with the human spaceflight safety requirements and for the first
time, the Ariane 5 launcher will fulfill a mission for ESA's Human
Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Directorate", explains
Arianespace's chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall.

--
--------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info


  #2  
Old May 30th 05, 09:29 PM
John Doe
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Jacques van Oene wrote:
Some adaptations to the launcher are also necessary to ensure compatibility
with the heavy ATV spacecraft and its specific delivery orbit.
For the recurring flights, the launcher will inject the 20 750 kg ATV into
the International Space Station orbital plane in low Earth orbit at 300 km
altitude inclined 51.6 degrees above the Equator.


When was ATV supposed to launch first ? was it end of 2003 or fall fo
2004 ? It is interesting (but not susprising) that there would be a 2-3
year delay in its launch.

While the spec of launching 20 tons to ISS seems impressive, how much of
its is dead weight (ATV) and how much of its is usable cargo ?
  #3  
Old May 30th 05, 11:46 PM
Jim Kingdon
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While the spec of launching 20 tons to ISS seems impressive, how much of
its is dead weight (ATV) and how much of its is usable cargo ?


Cargo capacity 7667 kg
http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESA4ZJ0VMOC_iss_0.html
(which also has a breakdown of the 20 tons into spacecraft,
consumables, cargo, etc)

Progress M 2350 kg
Progress M1 2230 kg
Shuttle Pressurized (MPLM) 8605 kg (includes rack structure)
Shuttle Unpressurized (ULCs) 9449 kg
HTV Mixed 6000 kg
ATV 7385 kg
http://www.spaceref.com/iss/logistics.capabilities.html
 




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