Ariane's big fix
Abstract
The Ariane third stage and its commercial viability are evaluated. The third stage is cryogenic and contains 10.4 tons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants, has an engine thrust of 63 kN, a burn time of 720 sec, and a maximum velocity of 9700 m/sec for injection into geostationary transfer orbit. The need for a new engine design for the third stage due to failures is discussed; the ignition process, distribution of energy into the combustion chamber, and the mix ratio of propellants are studied. The design of Ariane 4 and payload compartment configurations are described. An average of eight launches a year is proposed, and the scheduling of launches, the pricing policy, and insurance policy for Ariane are examined in terms of commercial success.
- Publication:
-
Flight International
- Pub Date:
- September 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986FlInt.130...48F
- Keywords:
-
- Ariane Launch Vehicle;
- Marketing;
- System Failures;
- Upper Stage Rocket Engines;
- Competition;
- Cryogenic Rocket Propellants;
- Finance;
- Rocket Firing;
- Space Commercialization;
- Turbine Pumps;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles