THE future European launcher successfully completed its long-fire test, lasting more than 7 minutes (426 seconds) with the engine on to simulate liftoff to orbit. A test for the teams, who will still have to study the data. The ESA is expected to decide the date of the maiden takeoff accordingly.
We had to wait until 9:44 p.m. for the Vulcain 2.1 engine to roar in the Guyanese jungle, after a delay linked to a pressure sensor value. However, not a detail should escape the attention of the teams from ESA, CNES and ArianeGroup gathered at the Guiana Space Center…
The launch site was configured exactly as for a liftoff, and the launcher followed the same timeline it would have adopted for an orbital mission (the flight was even “listed” as VA 363). At T-6 seconds, during the countdown announced by the DDO (Director of Operations), the central stage of Ariane 6 successfully ignited its rocket engine.
Just over 7 minutes of pushing
Held on the ground, in particular by its four auxiliary boosters (inert last night, this Ariane 6 is not intended to fly), the rocket expelled impressive volutes of water vapor into its deep flues. A true mist creator, powered by the reaction of the rocket engine running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen. To the great joy of all fans of the program and taxpayers worried about this test broadcast live, the Vulcain 2.1 simulated flight and varying thrust for 7 minutes and 6 seconds (426 seconds) before turning off.
Let us immediately point out that this duration is slightly less than the 7 minutes 50 seconds, practically 8 minutes announced by the institutions before the test. However, this is not a problem and officials on site have assured Clubic that the success criterion had indeed been respected.
Indeed, the conditions cannot be exactly the same on the ground and at the end of the flight sequence, at more than 200 km altitude… The test was therefore successful, and Ariane 6 apparently passed with successfully completes this stage, the most complex and violent it will have to undergo before its maiden flight.
Check everything, then move on to the “real” one!
If we must congratulate the teams in Guyana (the sequence of extinguishing and securing the site lasted 10 hours after the test, some therefore spent the whole night there in addition to yesterday), it is now time to fine analysis of the data. 800 sensors distributed on the rocket and throughout the launch site have produced their data, the aim is to verify that there have been no hidden defects, cracks or non-visible breakdowns, in short defects on the launcher as well as on the ground installations. This should take several days, although it is rumored that with the good feedback from last night, the ESA could announce the timetable for an inaugural flight as early as November 30. It’s the date everyone’s been waiting for!
This success should reinforce the technical choices and reduce some pressure on the program, still under fire from criticism after several years of delay. There are a few other tests remaining, notably in Germany with the upper stage which must ignite its engine in degraded conditions. Behind the scenes, the elements for the first flight are already in motion with part already on site (boosters, fairing). Finally the home stretch?
Source : Space News
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