Successful Ariane 5 Solid Rocket Booster Test Firing

LAUNCH PAD

On 6 June 2008, a successful test firing of an Ariane 5 solid rocket booster took place at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The test was part of the Ariane 5 Research and Technology Accompaniment (ARTA) Programme. The ARTA Programme, part of ESA's Ariane 5 Development Programme, is responsible for verifying the stability of the qualification status of the Ariane 5 launch system, checking the current production and qualifying required modifications to the launcher design before they enter service. Credits: ESA / CNES / AOV-CSG

by Staff Writers
Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Jun 27, 2008
Earlier this month a successful test firing of an Ariane 5 solid rocket booster took place at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. The test was part of the Ariane 5 Research and Technology Accompaniment (ARTA) Programme.

The ARTA Programme, part of ESA's Ariane 5 Development Programme, is responsible for verifying the stability of the qualification status of the Ariane 5 launch system, checking the current production and qualifying required modifications to the launcher design before they enter service.

The main goal of this ARTA test was to verify the qualification status of the current solid rocket booster (MPS - Moteur Propergol Solide) production with respect to potential manufacturing process drifts.

As subsidiary but equally important objectives, some improvements and new materials to deal with current obsolescence were tested. Additionally, the test allowed the checking of some modifications made to improve the MPS behaviour with respect to critical points, in particular, the reduction of pressure oscillations.

The test was performed in the booster engine test stand (BEAP - Banc d'Essais des Accelerateurs � Poudre), a test facility specifically designed for MPS vertical testing and located at the Guiana Space Centre (CSG - Centre Spatial Guyanais), Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

During the test, which had a duration of about 140 seconds, the motor delivered a mean thrust of approximately 600 tonnes. The booster was thoroughly instrumented and around 560 parameters were recorded throughout the test to monitor its performance and to provide the data required to evaluate the different test objectives. Initial analysis of the data confirms that performance was in line with predictions.

This was the fourth test of an MPS since the beginning of the ARTA 5 programme and the eleventh since the start of the Ariane 5 Development Programme. The next MPS ARTA test is expected in about two years from now.

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

LAUNCH PAD

ProtoStar I And BADR-6 Are Ready For Next Ariane 5 Launch

Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Jun 26, 2008
The final payload integration process has begun for Arianespace's fourth Ariane 5 mission of 2008, with the BADR-6 satellite now mounted atop the launcher and ProtoStar I ready for its installation.

CIVIL NUCLEAR Britain to sign nuclear deal with energy-poor Jordan Bulgaria to look at new reactors at partly shut nuclear plant Australia must strengthen India ties: foreign minister Analysis: Middle East nuclear renaissance?	CLIMATE SCIENCE Greenland Ice Core Analysis Shows Drastic Climate Change Near End Of Last Ice Age Tokyo approves Japan's first greenhouse gas curbs UN climate chief asks G8 summit to agree on 2020 emission targets Ice Cores Map Dynamics Of Sudden Climate Changes
FARM NEWS Exploited Fish Make Rapid Comeback In World's Largest No-Take Marine Reserve Network Pigs Prefer 3 Square Meals A Day Japanese fishermen to go on strike over fuel costs Florida megadeal aims to restore fabled wetlands, close US Sugar	FLORA AND FAUNA Birds Migrate Earlier, But Some May Be Left Behind As The Climate Warms Rapidly Life On The Edge: To Disperse, Or Become Extinct African Frogs Can Morph Toes Into Claws Single Insecticide Application Can Kill 3 Cockroach Generations
ROCKET SCIENCE SpaceX Conducts Static Test Firing Of Next Falcon 1 Rocket Pratt And Whitney Rocketdyne Contract Option For Solar Thermal Propulsion Rocket Engine NASA, ATK Conduct First Launch Abort System Igniter Test For Orion Orion's New Launch Abort Motor Test Stand Ready For Action	NUCLEAR SPACE Nuclear Power In Space - Part 2 Outside View: Nuclear future in space Nuclear Power In Space
EARTH OBSERVATION Bird Watchers And Space Technology Come Together In New Study Ocean Satellite Launch Critical To Australian science GAO Report Reveals Continuing Problems With NPOESS Satellite for tracking sea levels set for launch	TECH SPACE BAE Computers To Manage Data Processing For Satellite Missions 'Spore' computer game aliens coming to virtual life Space Radar To Improve Mining Safety Integral Systems Integrated Solution To Support JCSAT-12

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement