. 24/7 Space News .
ROCKET SCIENCE
First Ariane 6 fairing at Europe's Spaceport
by Staff Writers
Kourou, French Guiana (ESA) May 13, 2021

.

Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana is carrying out combined tests to prepare for the arrival of Ariane 6, Europe's next generation heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The first Ariane 6 fairing has already arrived at the Spaceport from Europe. It is 20 m high and 5.4 m in diameter and is being integrated with a mockup payload to test equipment and procedures inside the assembly building.

Ruag Space in Emmen, Switzerland manufactures each entire large half-shell in one piece from carbon-fibre composite which is 'cured' in an industrial oven. This reduces cost and speeds up production. Fewer parts allow horizontal as well as vertical assembly of the closed fairing and the launch vehicle, which is particularly important for Ariane 6.

A blue metal scaffold on the right of the picture, called the 'strongback', encases the fairing. There is one for each half-shell to hold each steady and to maintain the shape of the fairing while it is being raised vertical, and during assembly.

The mockup payload stands on its payload adaptor - the black cone. This is the interface between the bottom of the payload and the rocket. The adapter cone is fixed to a permanent dock on the ground.

Before this combined test, the French space agency, CNES, updated the existing Ariane 5 assembly building with a new integration dock, composed of a large white frame, with two mobile platforms adjustable to any level and accessible by fixed stairs and platforms.

This assembly building has two halls: one for integration of the fairing on the Ariane 5 rocket, and an encapsulation hall where the payload is stowed in the fairing. This encapsulation hall is a spacious clean room for Ariane 6.

A new door 26 m high has been installed at the entrance of the building to make room for the integrated fairing, payload and adapter to move on its trailer to the Ariane 6 launch zone.

This activity is one of many extensive 'combined tests' which are being carried out in a team effort at the Spaceport by ESA, CNES, ArianeGroup, Avio and other industry partners. These tests will prove the systems and procedures that will prepare Europe's new Ariane 6 launch vehicle for flight.


Related Links
Ariane 6 at ESA
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


ROCKET SCIENCE
Arianespace's second successful launch in 72 hours
Kourou, French Guiana (ESA) Apr 29, 2021
On Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 10:50 pm local time (01:50 UTC on Thursday, April 29), a Vega launch vehicle operated by Arianespace lifted off successfully from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana (South America). This mission marked Vega's return to flight, and was also the second successful launch by Arianespace's teams in less than 72 hours. The mission's primary purpose was orbiting Pleiades Neo 3, the first of four satellites in an advanced Earth observation constell ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ROCKET SCIENCE
Boeing's troubled Starliner capsule now aiming for July launch

Space aged: wine matured aboard ISS expected to sell for $1mn

NASA, Axiom Agree to First Private Astronaut Mission on Space Station

Blue Origin will fly first crew to space in July

ROCKET SCIENCE
Touchdown! SpaceX successfully lands Starship rocket

SpaceX to launch lunar mission paid with cryptocurrency Dogecoin

Protests over SpaceX contract put timetable for lunar return in limbo

Flying at up to Mach 16 could become reality with UCF's developing propulsion system

ROCKET SCIENCE
Perseverance rover captures sound of Ingenuity flying on Mars

Volcanoes on Mars could be active, raise possibility of recent habitable conditions

Why Ingenuity's fifth flight will be different

NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter to begin new demonstration phase

ROCKET SCIENCE
China wants to send spacecraft to edge of solar system to mark 100th year of PRC

China's space station takes shared future concept to space

China launches space station core module Tianhe

Core capsule launched into orbit

ROCKET SCIENCE
Spacecraft magnetic valve used to fill drinks

SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites from Florida

Egos clash in Bezos and Musk space race

Lithuania to become ESA Associate Member state

ROCKET SCIENCE
Large Chinese rocket segment disintegrates over Indian Ocean

3D printing could be used in search for black holes

US watching Chinese rocket's erratic re-entry: Pentagon

NASA's On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 Mission Ready for Spacecraft Build

ROCKET SCIENCE
How planets form controls elements essential for life

UBCO researcher uses geology to help astronomers find habitable planets

Hubble Watches How a Giant Planet Grows

First ever discovery of methanol in a warm planet-forming disk

ROCKET SCIENCE
Juice arrives at ESA's technical heart

New Horizons reaches a rare space milestone

New research reveals secret to Jupiter's curious aurora activity

NASA's Europa Clipper builds hardware, moves toward assembly









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.