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New Ariane 5 upper stage leaves Bremen

Bremen, 21 August 2002

* First flight unit setting off for the European spaceport in Kourou
* Astrium developed the new upper stage ESC-A in just over three years
* ESC-A scheduled for first launch this year

"Delivery of the first new Ariane 5 upper stage will be an important milestone in the continued development programme of the European launch vehicle", said Astrium project manager Dr. Jens Lassmann on the occasion of ESC-A shipping in Bremen on Wednesday. "Early in September, after the upper stage has arrived at the European spaceport in Kourou, integration of the complete launch system and thus count down will begin. We assume that this more powerful Ariane version will lift off in the last quarter of the year 2002", Lassmann continued.

In addition to improving performance of main stage and boosters, the continued development programme specifically deals with the development of a new cryogenic upper stage. These measures aim at increasing payload capacity from currently six to up to ten tons. Within the framework of the Ariane 5 plus programme carried out by the European Space Agency ESA, Astrium Space Infrastructure is responsible for the development and construction of the new upper stage. This stage is based on cryogenic propulsion technology and uses supercooled, high-energy propellants (liquid hydrogen / liquid oxygen). Using proven components, development time of the new ESC-A (Etage Supérieur Cryotechnique) was reduced to just more than three years. These components comprise, for instance, the tried and tested propulsion system of the third stage of Ariane 4 including the cryogenic HM-7 engine, oxygen tank and thrust structure which was complemented by a new hydrogen tank.

Compared with the present upper stage EPS, which was also developed and built by Astrium Space Infrastructure, thrust increased from 30 to 65 kN (which corresponds to about 180,000 hp). Ariane 5 will thus be able to deliver payloads of up to ten tons into the geostationary transfer orbit (36,000 km). The development contract awarded by ESA covers a volume of approximately 170 million euro and involves about 100 jobs at Astrium's location in Bremen.

For the time being, delivery of the new upper stage puts an end to a development process that made rapid progress: During the first quarter of the year 2002, a so-called refuelling model of ESC-A underwent extensive testing in Kourou. Ground facility connections as well as the highly sophisticated procedure of providing the stage with supercooled propellants (-250°C) were tested. In February 2002, Industrieanlagen Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG) based in Ottobrunn near Munich successfully completed a seven-month series of tests on a structural test model with particular focus on vibration, launch simulation, sound and separation testing.

Astrium, Europe's leading space company, is a joint company of EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (75%) and BAE SYSTEMS (25%). The Space Infrastructure business division of Astrium develops and operates space laboratories and experiment facilities. The division also develops stages and propulsion systems for the Ariane family of launchers as well as propulsion systems for satellites. In 2001, Astrium Space Infrastructure achieved a turnover of about EUR 700 million with a labour force of 3,000.

Bremen, 21 August 2002

Your contact:
Astrium Space Infrastructure
Kirsten Leung
Telefon: 0421-539-5326 / Fax: 0421-539-4534