De-orbiting of ARIANE 5 Upper Composite within ATV Jules Verne Mission
- Paper number
IAC-05-D2.3.01
- Author
Mr. Markus Jaeger, EADS Astrium, Germany
- Coauthor
Mr. Thierry Ruaud, EADS Astrium, France
- Year
2005
- Abstract
The lower part of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle was sized originally for the Hermes manned space plane in order to serve the ISS (International Space Station) located in LEO (Low-Earth Orbit). However, the Hermes space plane Programme was cancelled and it was then decided to convert the Ariane 5 rocket to a commercial launcher both lofting communications satellites into a GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) and in a less-than-before-thought extent serving the ISS with the ATV S/C (Automated Transfer Vehicle spacecraft). The today’s result is that the operational phase of two upgraded versions of the Ariane 5 with a single-engine upper stage has come to light: that with the ESC-A stage dedicated to the commercial payloads missions and that with the re-ignitable EPS stage dedicated to the ATV S/C mission. Early next year, for the first time ever, it is envisaged to launch the ATV S/C with the ARIANE 5 rocket into a LEO in order to serve the ISS, coming full circle to 20 years of development. The ATV mission requires specific features of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle such as re-ignition boosts of the ARIANE 5 upper stage EPS (Etage à Propergols Stockables) not only to inject the upper composite into a circularized LEO prior to separation of the ATV S/C but also to de-orbit to Earth the remaining upper composite after the placing of the ATV S/C into LEO. Clearly, the latter must be performed in order not to endanger any human life. This paper presents first a synthesis on Launcher System studies with regards to the remaining upper composite deorbitation into the South Pacific Ocean. The results will be provided for the first ATV mission dubbed Jules Verne and will characterize the de-orbiting delta V budget allowing the localization of the impact footprint of the debris inside the targeted area while complying with fallout constraints. Based on works performed by EADS-ST and SENER with the appreciated cooperation of CNES, the results of the System synthesis are thus issued from a joint effort. Then the specific impact studies for upper stage are summarized which were conducted in order to assess modified environment for the various mission phases, e.g. pre-pressurization phase, ignition phase, regulated flow phase and passivation phase. The studies were mainly conducted with thermal models and fluid dynamical models. Finally an overview of the specific re-ignition qualification program of EPS AESTUS Engine is presented which was performed in order to cover changed temperature and pressure flight domains. The qualification program included full scale hot runs under dynamic and static vacuum conditions (i.e. long hot firing and short firing durations). The content of this paper is new and was hence not presented at previous conferences. Also the attendance of the authors in Fukuoka, Japan to deliver the paper is assured.
- Abstract document