Ariane 5 specs

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pmn1

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The Hermes spaceplane was a major driver behind the specifications for Ariane 5 despite it likely to only be used 2 or 3?? times a year and made A5 bigger than it really had to be for satellite launches.<br /><br />Why wasn't the launcher optimised to launch heavy satellites and to get the ‘heavy lift’ capability required for a space plane, have an arrangement similar to the Delta V heavy using the core stage as boosters?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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rocketman5000

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You are talking about the ESA, from what I have noticed in the past they make the politics at NASA look like child's play. I would guess that is some of the reason. Also 2 to 3 launches is still a pretty large fraction of the Ariane 5 launches isn't it?
 
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CalliArcale

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I don't envy ESA: they have to make politicans and beaurocrats from many nations happy, and often have to coordinate with other agencies on top of that. At least NASA just has to worry about the US Congress. And it doesn't have to compete with other agencies; ESA has to compete with CNES and the other national space programs in Europe. It must be a logistical nightmare to deal with all of that. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
 
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rocketman5000

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I was refering to the fact that many designs specifications, including our beloved (or hated) shuttle is often dictated by politics and bearocracy rather than by engineering specifications, but I guees that the politicans are comparable to the marketing department and accountants that many engineers have to work with.
 
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pmn1

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So politics aside, what other ideas were looked at as well as the big 5.46m core with two boosters - was anything like the DeltaV Heavy concept looked at using common A4 vehicles as core and side mounted boosters? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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nacnud

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I've no idea about the history of the Ariane V design but the other large western rockets at the time were the Titan and the STS both of which used two large solid booster around a core sustainer.<br /><br />I'm not suprised the Ariane V looks like it does.
 
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gaetanomarano

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"...politicans and beaurocrats..."<br /><br />not so many... look at VEGA project mini-launcher... it is developed under ESA logo but 70% of the project is of an italian private company<br /><br />NASA will receive a big amount of funds for VSE but can't use them free or change something of that plan
 
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nacnud

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The work on the ECB hasn't entierly stopped, the development of the Vinci engine is continuing, just at a slower pace. Apparently there wasn't the market demand for it yet, well thats what Arianespace say on their website.
 
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chris_in_space

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"a 12t version and that has been abandoned after engine nozzles problems with the 9.6t version"<br /><br />I wouldn't say that there's a direct link of causality between the engine nozzle failure of the Vulcain 2 engine on the 9.6t version and the abandonning of the developpment of the Vinci upper stage engine which is needed for the 12t version. As Nacnud said I think it's rather that the satellite market isn't as large as expected and satellites too didn't increased in mass as fast as expected.<br /><br />As to the Vinci engine it had its first test run in summer this year so the program isn't completely abandonned. The problem is that the funding is freezed for the further testing and developpement phases. And it doesn't make it easier either that the funding must come from several countries in the ESA. <br />I think if there's a real demand for a 12t version for GTO launches the the Ariane 5 ECB will be developped, but that will be in a couple of years.
 
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shoogerbrugge

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Main problem is that most commercial companies don't like the launch of their bird being jeopardised by the second satellite to be launched.
 
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subzero788

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So how much does a generic vs ECA Ariane 5 launch cost? I'm talking about the total cost per launch, not per satellite. Is it good value for money compared to other launch systems?
 
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tohaki

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IIRC Hermes was killed because Germany didn't feel it could afford it after the reunification with DDR.
 
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