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Ariane 5 Production to Increase |
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BREMEN, Germany, Feb. 16, 2007/Satnews Daily/ ― Arianespace and Astrium Space Transportation said they would increase the production rate of their heavy lift Ariane 5 launcher.
The company's two top executives confirmed the output ramp-up by signing a declaration in Bremen. Signing the agreement were Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall and Astrium Space Transportation President Evert Dudok. Le Gall noted that the signing in Bremen was symbolic, as the city has been home to the manufacture of launch vehicle upper stages since the beginning of Ariane production.
Ariane 5's cryogenic upper stage is produced in Bremen by Astrium Space Transportation. The launch vehicles will be produced in their most powerful version – the Ariane 5 ECA – in a stabilized configuration that will guarantee both reliability and economies of scale.
By increasing production rate, Arianespace will be able to keep pace with growing demand within the launch services marketplace, in which Arianespace holds a leading role with a market share of more than 50 percent.
The agreement puts in place the investments needed to supply seven Ariane 5 ECA launchers per year, beginning in February 2008. It also provides the possibility to perform an additional mission annually in a specific Ariane 5 version – for instance to orbit the large Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which is to service the International Space Station.
Astrium Space Transportation is the prime contractor in charge of Ariane production, and it leads the launcher manufacturing activities of the various European industrial companies.
Arianespace is in charge of the marketing and launch operations for Ariane. It procures the integrated launcher from Astrium Space Transportation, adapting it to each customer's mission, integrating the satellites on the launch vehicle, and carrying out launch operations from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.
Ariane 5 ECA is the latest – and most powerful member – of the Ariane 5 family, with a hefty payload lift capacity of 9,600 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
This performance ensures that Ariane 5 will be able to loft the heaviest telecom satellites in production or on the drawing boards, and enables Arianespace to match up most spacecraft for highly efficient dual launches – a capability of that has been proven by the company in Ariane missions since the 1980s.
Ariane 5 ECA is a follow-on to the highly mature Ariane 5 Generic launcher version, which carries 6,700-kg payloads to GTO and has demonstrated its reliability in 16 successful missions.
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