BBC Article on Ariane 5-ECA launch

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qzzq

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I really, really hope everything will go well this time around. Thanks for the link, Flynn. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>***</p> </div>
 
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flynn

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Yeah, I'm going to have my fingers crossed come launch day.<br /><br />Am just wondering which version the ATV will be flying on. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>
 
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nacnud

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I think the ATV is on the ECA version at the moment, but with a modified 2nd stage. <br /><br />Edit: The version to be used for the ATV is apparently the Ariane 5 ESP/V from here but I haven't found much more that that yet.<br /><br />Edited edit: OK found it, the ATV uses the Ariane 5 ES. This is basically the EC-A first stage but with a storable propellant 2nd stage from here [ESA]. Using a bit of guesswork I think the names of the various Arianes are:<br /><br />Ariane Generic for the basic model (6 tonnes to GTO)<br />Ariane ECA for the Evolved ariane 5, Cryogenic upper stage version A (10 tonnes to GTO)<br />Ariane ES for the Evolved ariane 5, Storable upper stage (21 tonnes to LEO)<br />Ariane ECB for the still to be developed Evolved ariane 5, Cryogenic upper stage version B (12 tonnes to GTO).
 
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flynn

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Cool, thanks for that information. <br /><br />Can't wait for the GTi model with speed strips and a retractable sunroof. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>
 
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nacnud

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You'd be wanting the Ariane M then sir. 'tis only a paper rocket but it comes with 18" alloys, discs all round, neon lights underneath and a years subscription to MAXpower.
 
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chmee

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Umm... is that a spaceship inside the Ariane-M?? Wow that is one big Mofo... But still a racing stripe would make it look faster.. and a fake hood air intake <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />
 
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nacnud

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Yup it's a bit of a beast, 50t to trans martian injection, 100t to LEO and thats without even tiger stripe seat covers! Check it out <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />
 
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flynn

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Throw a couple of these up in the air and we're laugthing, If I was comissioner of the ESA I'd order a doze immediately.<br /><br />Do they come with fluffy dice and a kicking ICE (or should that be IRE) system? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>
 
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flynn

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<b>Ariane 5 ECA prepares for launch</b><br /><i>from ESA Portal</i><br /><br /> <br />4 February 2005<br />Preparations are well underway for the qualification flight of Europe’s latest launcher, the Ariane-5 ECA, from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The launch window opens on the evening of 11 February at 16:49 (20:49 CET) and will extend until 18:10 (22:10 CET).<br /> <br />Ariane-5 ECA will be able to place heavy payloads of up to 10 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in comparison to the 6-tonne payloads placed into GTO by the Ariane-5 Generic launchers. The increased performance of the Ariane 5 ECA is due to two main differences: <br /><br />a more powerful Vulcain-2 first stage engine developed from the Ariane-5 generic Vulcain 1 engine <br /><br />a cryogenic upper stage (ESCA) using the tried and tested Ariane-4 HM7B engine that made over 130 successful launches<br /><br />Since the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA Flight in December 2002, the Vulcain-2 nozzle extension has been redesigned and tested, and an exhaustive review of the whole launcher has been conducted. <br /> <br /><br />Flight 164 will carry three payloads on its journey into space: <br /><br />an XTAR-EUR telecommunications satellite: to be placed into GTO <br /><br />Sloshsat-FLEVO, an experimental mini-satellite to investigate the dynamics of fluids in weightlessness, jointly developed by ESA and NIVR, the Dutch Agency for Aerospace Programmes: to be placed into GTO <br /><br />Maqsat B2 telemetry/video imaging package: to remain mated to the upper stage of the launcher for recording flight data <br /><br />A successful rehearsal of the entire launch countdown - including final fuelling and countdown but stopping short of ignition - took place on 12 January. This enabled mission team members to validate launch procedures, and test all launcher equipment and ground facilities. <br /><br />Thorough checks of all stages of the launcher and payloads are now ongoing in the Final Assembly Building to b <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>
 
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