THE SECOND AND FINAL qualification firing of the Vulcain cryogenic first-stage engine of the Ariane 5 booster was successfully completed at Kourou, French Guiana, on 6 January, clearing the way for the booster's maiden flight on 7 May. The Ariane 5 will have its first commercial flight for Arianespace in late 1996, after two missions funded by the European Space Agency.
The launcher market is expected to grow by 30%, to 30-35 satellites, to the year 2000. Arianespace plans to launch 70 spacecraft in the next four years, with 13 launches this year, including the two Ariane 5 development flights.
Overall, there will be 30 Ariane 4 launches and 12 by Ariane 5s to the end of 1999, an increase of 12 over original plans. Up to nine extra Ariane 4s may need to be ordered.
PanAmSat of the USA has selected an Ariane 5 to launch its PAS 7 satellite in 1997, while the launches of PAS 8 and 9 have been assigned to the ILS International Launch Services' Proton, built by Russia.
Germany's MAN Technology has signed a DM60 million ($41.6 million) contract with Arianespace for the supply of lightweight, heat-resistant, structural components for the new launcher. MAN supplies 10% of the Ariane 5's components and has a 7.5% stake in Arianespace. SABCA of Belgium has signed a $133 million contract with Aerospatiale for the production of skirts and hydraulic equipment for the initial order of 14 Ariane 5s.
Source: Flight International
