AVIO’s Post

The last hot firing test of the Ariane 6 upper stage was completed successfully on April 12 at the German Aerospace Center DLR-Institut für Raumfahrtantriebe P5.2 test stand. ✅ The aim of this test was to gather further data for future #Ariane6 missions after its inaugural flight. The test focused on demonstrating operation of the upper stage under non-nominal conditions (deviations from the normal operating conditions expected during flight), notably of the APU (Auxiliary Propulsion Unit) which is unique hardware that allows Ariane 6 to be a versatile launcher and launch a diverse roster of missions. #DLR and #ArianeGroup teams carried out a test sequence profile that included loading the stage tanks and preparing for flight. The test included three long APU boosts that lasted for a total duration of 66 minutes. This test follows from a test in September 2023, which successfully tested the upper stage’s overall operations for first flight qualification. The success of this last test concludes the hot-firing test campaign on the upper stage. European Space Agency - ESA Centre National d'Études Spatiales ARIANESPACE #WorkInSpace #SpaceIndustry Photo ©DLR/ArianeGroup

How do the individual components of #Ariane6 make their way to the launch pad to be assembled into the complete launcher? 🚀 The stages and components manufactured in Europe arrive at the spaceport in Kourou on the Canopée freighter. Each component undergoes a sequence of intermediate stages, being incrementally assembled and rigorously tested before reaching the mobile gantry, where it all comes together. ✅ Swipe through our overview graphic for a glimpse of the various processes. And the best part? We’re right in the thick of it. In the coming weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at how #SpaceEnablers of #ArianeGroup, European Space Agency - ESA, Centre National d'Études Spatiales and ARIANESPACE in Kourou are preparing the launch of Ariane 6. #WorkInSpace #SpaceIndustry

The last #Vega flight #VV24 has successfully delivered into orbit #Sentinel2C satellite to complement the #Copernicus constellation under a contract with European Commission and a specific contract with European Space Agency - ESA as technical authority. The final success score of the #Vega launcher over 22 flights is 91% with 20 successes and 2 failures. #Vega has successfully delivered more than 100 payloads into orbit and unfortunately lost 3 important satellites over 2 launch failures (#Seosat #Taranis and #FalconEye1). I still very much regret these two failures and apologies to these customers for their painful losses. All in all however we can only be proud of all the work #Vega has accomplished for the many important customers from 15 different countries in the world, that would be too long here to list, and especially for #European #independent #accesstospace. I am so proud of having contributed to this success, starting in 2003 at ELV and then AVIO on Vega development as Head of Mechanical System and for the last 8 years at ARIANESPACE as Head of Vega Business Unit. Now the story continues with #VegaC and the challenges ahead are motivating us to do always better for the sake of #europe independent access to #space and for the success of the very important missions that our foreign institutional and commercial customers all over the world have entrusted us. Farewell #Vega Long live #VegaC #sentinel2C Airbus Defence and Space AVIO European Space Agency - ESA

For Europe's new rocket Ariane 6 🚀 we supplied the Cardan gimbal mechanism for the upper stage of the Ariane 6 rocket. The mechanism serves as a joint for aligning the engine in the thrust vector control of the rocket's upper stage. The mechanism weighs just ten kilograms. It has to transmit the thrust forces of 15 tons (comparable to the power of a diesel locomotive). It also needs to function flawlessly in the large temperature gradient (200 degrees Celsius) between the cold liquid gas propellant tank and the hot combustion chamber. Ariane 6 is Europe’s new heavy lift launch vehicle replacing its predecessor Ariane 5. The Ariane 6 rocket has a reignitable upper stage allowing it to launch multiple missions on different orbits on a single flight. To learn more, check out the ESA media kit: https://lnkd.in/dQHhHJUG Image: Ariane 6 before wet dress rehearsal Image credit: European Space Agency - ESA, L. Bourgeon

For those that did not have a look before ... this week we launch the rocket at #CSG, a special one: the very last #P80, #Z23 version of #Vega, #VV24 with #Sentinel2C on board, the information below contains the key takeaways about that event and the mission of Sentinel 2C.

Hi LinkedIners, 𝗡𝟯𝟰/365 Daily Posts #𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 🚀 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹-𝟮𝗖! Great news for Earth observation enthusiasts! 🎉 The Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite successfully launched today from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on the final Vega rocket to lift off from this historic site. This new addition to the Copernicus Sentinel-2 family is now in orbit, ready to continue providing detailed views of Earth’s land and coastal waters. With its high-resolution, multi-spectral imaging capabilities, Sentinel-2C will support a wide range of critical applications—from monitoring deforestation and water quality to aiding disaster management and climate change research. This marks another significant milestone for the EU Space Programme, ensuring a continuous supply of valuable data for scientific, commercial, and humanitarian uses. 📝 Personal Note: As someone deeply involved in the systems engineering side of things, I’m thrilled to see the successful deployment of such a vital piece of technology. Can’t wait to see the incredible insights Sentinel-2C will deliver. What are your thoughts on this mission's potential impact? Comment and share! Congrats to all teams from European Space Agency - ESA,Centre National d'Études Spatiales, ARIANESPACE , AVIO, Airbus Defence and Space and many more involved!!! Thanks for reading, and here’s to reaching for the stars! 🌠✨ Stay curious, stay inspired, stay focused, and become Indistinguishable from Magic. 🚀🧙♂️✨ P.S: some more info here 👇🏻 https://lnkd.in/dFwk2iGx #MagicEngineering #Systemist #LinkedIner #SystemsEngineering #AerospaceEngineering #Copernicus #Sentinel2C #EarthObservation #SpaceTech #SatelliteLaunch #ESASpace #VegaRocket #ClimateChange #Sustainability #Innovation

The successful maiden flight of new #Ariane6 launcher on July 9 has restored Europe's access to space after a difficult year. CS GROUP was involved at several levels in this success: - Ariane VI telemetry operation with CNES and ARIANESPACE (LETNA - Digital Telemetry Operation, CVD - Deferred Visual Control and SEA - Expert Analysis System) - Mission analysis and software development to test the Ariane VI GNC in support of ArianeGroup. - Optimization of A6 trajectory, flight backup and stage drop studies. Thanks to all the teams who contributed to the mission's success, and see you soon for the next launch! CS GROUP in SPACE HE Space Operations Sopra Steria image {c)ArianeGroup-ARIANESPACE

Space Systems Command's Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Tools, Applications, and Processing (TAP) Lab, in collaboration with industry partners and the Cross Mission Data Branch under BMC3 achieved mission success for Apollo Accelerator Cohort 2 on March 4, 2024. Among the achievements, True Anomaly successfully tracked payloads deployed by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, with Intrack Radar Technologies accurately predicting the rocket's trajectory. This success highlights the effectiveness of structured programs like the Apollo Accelerator in fostering collaboration and innovation within the space industry. The Apollo Accelerator Cohort 2 is kicking of another Demo Day tomorrow to showcase new capabilities. Problems are coordinated with space defense operators and then shared across many missions. Preventing operational surprise, denying the first mover advantage, and responsible counterspace campaigning is a team sport. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHpt4EGT #SpaceSystemsCommand #PartnersInSpace #USSF

USSF Boeing X-37B OTV (Orbital Test Vehicle) autonomous spaceplane depicted gliding to base after reentry: The Pentagon announced on October 10, 2024, that the X-37B will soon begin executing a series of “dynamic aerobraking” maneuvers across multiple orbital regimes. At low orbit, the OTV will conduct a series of maneuvers employing atmospheric drag to allow it to shift orbit while limiting fuel use. Additionally, during aerobraking the spaceplane will jettison its service module in accordance with space debris mitigation standards. Service officials have identified on-orbit maneuvering as a critical capability needed to conduct counterspace operations and to better protect and defend U.S. space assets. The X-37B OTV was developed and built by Boeing Phantom Works during the late 1990s. X-37B began its seventh mission (OTV-7) on Dec. 28, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and has remained in orbit for more than 286 days. The X-37B operates under the auspices of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, while the U.S. Space Force is responsible for launch and on-orbit operations. We can only imagine what the U.S. space technology capability position would be today if the USAF Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar (“Dynamic Soaring”) spaceplane not been canceled in 1963 - a missed opportunity. Erik Simonsen Illustration

Launches Europe made it! https://lnkd.in/dkgZazfn Regarding accessible Launches for Arianespace, it is very interesting that one Satcom and one commercial EO were launched by Space x in Q2/24, because the 3 DoD and 3 Gov missions would not have been an option for non US Launch provider . As for the reusability of the first stage, it has been shown that with about 15 launches/year this really makes economic sense. So the design of Ariane 6 with approx. 10 launches per year makes perfect sense. https://lnkd.in/deRvZdvy