THE ARIANE 5 ES LAUNCH VEHICLE READY FOR LAUNCHING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER VEHICLE JULES VERNE

摘要

The A5ES launcher was born at the same time than the A5ECA version: at the beginning of the decade, both were constituting the 《 A5 Evolution 》 family, the word 《 Evolution 》 meaning the increase of capability w.r.t. the first generation, by implementation of more powerful boosters, of a more powerful VULCAIN engine (VULCAIN 2), and by introduction of a heavy lift version with a cryogenic upper stage (ESC-A), respectively by slightly power increase of the existing EPS upper stage (EPS Performance 2000 upper stage). A5ES and A5ECA launchers are made of the same lower composite (two EAP boosters and one EPC main cryogenic stage), capable of carrying the same types of upper parts (payload adapters, SYLDA, Fairing versions), with different couples of upper stages in-between the storable propellant boosted Stage (EPS with AESTUS engine) with the adapted Vehicle Equipment Bay (VEB) on A5ES and the cryogenic boosted stage (ESC-A) with the corresponding VEB on A5ECA. The A5ECA launcher constitutes today the workhorse for launching satellites into a GTO (Geostationary Transfer Orbit), whereas the A5ES launcher version is the launcher that will launch the ATV (Automatic Transfer Vehicle) payload into a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) thanks to the high flexibility of its EPS upper stage which is prepared for 5 ignitions in flight with intermediate ballistic phases with maximal duration of 6 hours. In 2008 the first-ever ATV, dubbed Jules Verne, is envisaged to be launched by the A5ES rocket into a 260-km orbit in order to serve the ISS (International Space Station). This paper presents an overview on the Launcher System qualification program conducted for the launch of ATV Jules Verne by summarizing the System activities as well as the qualification programs on Stage level. All Stages were concerned by the adaptation of the A5ES launcher to the ATV Jules Verne mission, the lower composite including the EAP boosters and the EPC stage was not so heavily touched by the modified mission specification whereby the upper composite including the VEB and the EPS was completely re-verified.