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Countdown for Ariane 511 at Bremen Airport - Ariane 5 upper stage to fly to French Guiana

Bremen, le 01 février 2002

* Astrium delivers Ariane 5 upper stage EPS to Arianespace
* Return to service of Europe's launcher after a record number of tests
* Next Ariane 5 launch scheduled on 28 February, the biggest European mission ever

Bremen - An Ariane 5 upper stage made by Astrium in Bremen is being transported for the first time with a Russian Antonov 124 large-capacity transport aircraft from Bremen Airport to Europe's spaceport in French Guiana. The reason for this unusual way of shipment is the launch of ESA's the largest European environmental satellite ENVISAT slated to take place already on 28 February. Only seven months after the Ariane 510 launch failure in July 2001, Astrium has delivered to Arianespace the Ariane 5 upper stage for the Envisat launch. Propellant lines of the EPS upper stage polluted by water have been identified as cause of the malfunction. The corresponding modifications were implemented and verified in the course of more than 200 tests so that the upper stage is now ready for integration on the Ariane 5 launcher in Kourou.

With the eleventh launch of an Ariane 5 on its trip to polar orbit, Europe's heavy-lift vehicle will launch the biggest satellite to date. Its payload, the multi-function environmental satellite Envisat, weighing more than eight tons and more than ten metres in length, is the heaviest and largest scientific satellite ever carried into space by a commercial launcher. On the occasion of loading the stage in Bremen, Josef Kind, member of the Astrium Board and President Space Infrastructure Division, said: "The Astrium team has tackled and solved the problem with utmost personal commitment and greatest professionalism. Ariane 5 will make its way and succeed in global competition as the safest, most powerful and most reliable launcher. The new, more powerful upper stages, which are presently under development in Bremen, will also secure this position."

From August 2001 until a few days ago, an important program of tests and analysis was implemented under the responsibility of Arianespace. More than 200 hot firing tests were carried out under all possible conditions with the Aestus upper stage engine at the Astrium site Lampoldshausen together with the German Aerospace Centre DLR. The resulting technical modifications which were verified during the hot firing tests, are summarised by the leader of the 100-member expert team and Head of Transportation Systems at Astrium, Horst Holsten, as follows: "Essentially, we have smoothed the ignition sequence by flushing the lines to the engine with helium prior to ignition. Moreover, we will be able to monitor the pressures in the tanks also in flight until ignition of the upper stage engine. And finally, already on ground we apply a procedure by means of which the formation of water in the lines can be prevented even in the tropical climate of Kourou."

After its shipment across the Atlantic and arrival at the spaceport Kourou, the upper stage will be integrated with the main stage from 4 to 25 February and equipped with its payload. Two days before launch, Ariane 5 will be fuelled and brought into its final launch position on 27 February.

Arianespace Chief Operating Officer Jean-Yves Le Gall expressed his confidence of further strengthening Arianespace's position as market leader with the succes of Ariane 511: "Firts of all I would like to thank the teams of Astrium and DLR for the tremendous work they have accomplished. Thanks to their unlimited efforts, Ariane 5 will be flying again and will boost into orbit Envisat, the largest European satellite ever built. This upcoming launch of Ariane 5 will demonstrate that Europe and Arianespace have the work-horse to satisfy customers all around the world and that we are more than ever ready to meet the challenges of the future. Another major step in the Ariane 5 program is yet to come and it is happening right here in Bremen. The new ESC-A upper stage that is being developped here will allow us this summer to increase Ariane 5 payload up to 10 tons. We will be the only launch service provider able to boost satellites of all sizes."

The attachment to their central European space site was also shown by town and airport: many citizens had accepted the invitation to be present at the EPS loading operations at the airport and to send their best wishes to the European spaceport at French Guiana.

Bremen, February 1st, 2002

For further Information please contact:
Astrium Space Infrastructure
Dr. Mathias Spude
Phone: +49-421-539-5710
Fax: +49-421-539-4534