Board: main engine responsible for Ariane 5 failure
Posted: Tue, Jan 7, 2003, 10:23 AM ET (1523 GMT)
An inquiry board has concluded that the failure of a main engine cooling system led to the loss of an Ariane 5 launched last month, a finding that could permit the time-sensitive launch of an ESA science mission later this month. The inquiry board, led by Wolfgang Koschel of the German space agency DLR, concluded that a leak in a cooling circuit caused the booster's Vulcain 2 main engine to overheat and lose integrity, which in turn caused a thrust imbalance and eventual loss of control of the vehicle. The cooling failure was likely caused by fissures in cooling tubes as well as "non-exhaustive definition" of the loads the engine is subjected to during flight, according to an Arianespace press release. Because the cooling system is different on the Vulcain 1 engine used on the baseline Ariane 5, officials believe that no modifications are required to it, permitting it to return to flight as soon as a series of tests to the engine nozzle are concluded. This means that it is likely that the baseline Ariane 5 can return to service in time to launch ESA's Rosetta comet rendezvous mission, which must launch during a launch window that closes at the end of January. Arianespace plans to create a review board that will make a decision on the Rosetta launch date on January 14. The ESC-A variant of the Ariane 5 that uses the Vulcain 2 engine will likely return to flight in the second half of 2003.
An inquiry board has concluded that the failure of a main engine cooling system led to the loss of an Ariane 5 launched last month, a finding that could permit the time-sensitive launch of an ESA science mission later this month. The inquiry board, led by Wolfgang Koschel of the German space agency DLR, concluded that a leak in a cooling circuit caused the booster's Vulcain 2 main engine to overheat and lose integrity, which in turn caused a thrust imbalance and eventual loss of control of the vehicle. The cooling failure was likely caused by fissures in cooling tubes as well as "non-exhaustive definition" of the loads the engine is subjected to during flight, according to an Arianespace press release. Because the cooling system is different on the Vulcain 1 engine used on the baseline Ariane 5, officials believe that no modifications are required to it, permitting it to return to flight as soon as a series of tests to the engine nozzle are concluded. This means that it is likely that the baseline Ariane 5 can return to service in time to launch ESA's Rosetta comet rendezvous mission, which must launch during a launch window that closes at the end of January. Arianespace plans to create a review board that will make a decision on the Rosetta launch date on January 14. The ESC-A variant of the Ariane 5 that uses the Vulcain 2 engine will likely return to flight in the second half of 2003.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, June 12
ESA Seeks European Footprints On The Moon After Artemis III
Aviation Week — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) Arrakihs, the first ESA mission led by Spain to study the hidden history of galaxies
ICE-CSIC — 6:23 am ET (1023 GMT) How data centers in space could become a reality
Axios — 6:18 am ET (1018 GMT) Quantum Space’s military SPAC is trying to catch SpaceX’s IPO wave
TechCrunch — 6:16 am ET (1016 GMT) SpaceX to close above $2 trillion market cap on its debut, prediction market traders say
CNBC — 6:16 am ET (1016 GMT) |
