October 23, 2012. Copyright 2012, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Visions differ over Ariane's future

LONDON, October 23, Graphic News: Mounting German frustration with France over the future of Europe's Ariane launch vehicle is set to overshadow a meeting of European Space Agency (ESA) ministers in the Italian town of Caserta on November 20-21.

The successful launch of a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station by private company Space Exploration Technologies on October 8 is seen as a threat to Ariane 5's dominant position in the global commercial launch market.

California-based SpaceX now plans to strap three Falcon 9 rockets together to create the Falcon 9 Heavy, a launcher capable of boosting up to 19 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), the orbit commercial satellites follow to reach geostationary altitude, 35,786km above the earth. Launch cost will be between $83 million and $128 million. By comparison, Ariane 5 costs $220m to place up to 10 tonnes in GTO, and this requires ESA member states to contribute $150m per launch to break even.

The November budget meeting of the ESA's 20 member states must hash out an upgrade plan for Ariane. Germany has already started a project named Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution (Ariane 5 ME) which will see a boost to payload while cutting costs -- and dependence on subsidies. Berlin is keen to protect jobs at its Astrium Space TransportationŐs facility in Bremen.

The French government space agency, CNES, argues that the 1.4 billion euros ($1.8 billion) price tag of Ariane 5 ME should be used to design a new, lower-cost Ariane 6 that could be operational in 10 years. The new launcher would be designed to cost less from the start, with manufacturing and operating costs given higher priority than rocket performance.

CNES proposes three modular designs: two solid-propellant rockets and an all-liquid-fuelled launcher with solid strap-on boosters.

Insiders predict ESA is likely to agree to begin design work on Ariane 6 following the November meeting, but with no development beginning until 2014.
/ENDS