Updates Ariane 6 Updates

[GLS]

Engine still gimbaling after shutdown.

 

[Urwumpe]

Full 470 second burn achieved.

EDIT: Looked initially as if the engine shutdown after exactly seven minutes, but its possibily just the throttling at the end of the burn that caused the nozzle temperature to drop (red glowing instead of white glowing)

Test ended with full core stage propellant consumption.

 

[GLS]

"Only" did about 7:10 of the advertised 8 minutes.

 

[Urwumpe]

"Only" did about 7:10 of the advertised 8 minutes.

470 seconds was the actual burn time planned, 7:50. That fits to the point the nozzle suddenly cooled down and lost its red glow.

 

[GLS]

470 seconds was the actual burn time planned, 7:50. That fits to the point the nozzle suddenly cooled down and lost its red glow.

Went back in the stream and the shutdown is visible at 7 minutes.... maybe there is a glitch in the Matrix?

 

[GLS]

EDIT: Looked initially as if the engine shutdown after exactly seven minutes, but its possibily just the throttling at the end of the burn that caused the nozzle temperature to drop (red glowing instead of white glowing)

When the camera went back to the engine view just after 7 minutes, it looked like free H2 burning, just like the SSME had after shutdown.

 

[Urwumpe]

Went back in the stream and the shutdown is visible at 7 minutes.... maybe there is a glitch in the Matrix?

Again, the regenerative cooled nozzle kept on glowing until 7:50, while it cooled down slightly from 7:00 on to 7:10 (change in glow color). I think it was not a full shutdown, but a thrust reduction.

 

[Urwumpe]

According to CNES Guiana Space Center range operations director Thierry Vallee, the test lasted for 426 seconds. Despite ending 44 seconds early, CNES, ESA and ArianeGroup have all stated that the test appeared to have been completed successfully.

ESA Completes Full-Duration Ariane 6 Hot Fire Test

ESA has successfully completed a key Ariane 6 development milestone with the successful completion of a long-duration hot fire test.

europeanspaceflight.com

So, I was wrong and you were right. The test really did not reach the full duration.

 

[Urwumpe]

 

[GLS]

7 months to go

https://twitter.com/x/status/1730140368803332452

Ariane 6 joint update report, 30 November 2023

The Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force consists of top management of ESA, as the overall Ariane 6 procuring entity and launch system architect, of the French space agency CNES, as the launch base prime contractor, of ArianeGroup as the launcher system prime contractor and of Arianespace as the launch...

www.esa.int

 

[Urwumpe]

 

[Urwumpe]

And another one:

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792856031464215031

 

[Urwumpe]

More is rolling to the launch pad!

Moving the Ariane 6 upper part to the launch pad for first flight

Moving the Ariane 6 upper part to the launch pad for first flight

www.esa.int

 

[GLS]

The date is 9 July

https://twitter.com/x/status/1804168946909630833

 

[Urwumpe]

More about the WDR:

Ariane 6 pre-show: wet dress rehearsal complete

Yesterday, the first Ariane 6 rocket to launch into space went through its last full ‘wet dress rehearsal’ at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana – it provided an exciting sneak peek of what’s to come, stopping just a few seconds before engine ignition and of course, lift-off.

www.esa.int

 

[GLS]

One day to go

https://twitter.com/x/status/1809710505717841963

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810279939834355879

Live stream for the launch

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810679660751061435

Less than 30 minutes to go...

 

[GLS]

T-3 minutes!

 

[GLS]

T0, liftoff!!!