ariane6

The ESA has signed deals with Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL), France’s CNES space agency and ELV, for the development of the Vega C launcher, as well as the Ariane 6 and its launch base.

The contracts are said to be valued at €395m for Vega C, €2.4bn for Ariane 6, and €600m for the launch base.

ESA general director Jan Woerner said: "These contracts will allow the development of a family of European launchers, highly competitive in the world market and ensuring autonomous access to space at fully competitive prices for ESA’s member states."

Ariane 6 and its launch base are scheduled to be ready for a maiden flight in 2020, while the Vega C will debut in 2018.

Procurement and architecture for the launch systems is being managed by the ESA, while ASL and ELV will be prime contractors for Ariane 6 and Vega C, respectively.

"These contracts will allow the development of a family of European launchers."

ASL will soon finalise designs of the two Ariane 6 versions and the industrialisation process.

The P120C solid-propellant motor, which will be Vega C’s first stage and Ariane’s strap-on boosters, will be jointly developed by ASL and ELV.

The new Ariane will be equipped with two boosters (Ariane 62) and four boosters (Ariane 64).

For the Ariane 6 model, the launch pad site will be located at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, featuring specialist preparation facilities.

In December 2014, the member states of the ESA approved development of the Ariane 6 in order to replace the Ariane 5 ECA system.

Image: Artistic impression of the Ariane 6 launcher. Photo: © Airbus Safran Launchers.