Snecma's venerable HM7 cryogenic Ariane 1-4 booster upper stage engine is set for a new career.
It will boost the upper stage of an uprated version of the Ariane 5. The maiden flight of the Ariane 5 ESC-A is planned for around September.
The liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen powered, 64.8kN thrust HM7B version burns for 15 minutes. It will replace the original former-DASA 29kN thrust Aestus hypergolic nitric oxide-hydrazine engine on the current Ariane 5 model.
The HM7B is capable of one engine restart, unlike the single burn Aestus. This will increase lifting performance to geostationary transfer orbit to 10,000kg from 6,000kg for a flight carrying two satellites.
The ESC-A will also introduce Snecma's Vulcain 2 cryogenic first stage engine, which increases the thrust of the original Ariane 5 version's first stage from 1,350kg to 1,145kN.
Cryogenic
Snecma is also involved in the next Ariane 5 upgrade. The 180kN thrust, cryogenic Vinci upper stage engine is being developed for multiple restarts and injection of a payload weighing 12,000kg into GTO.
The Ariane 5 version will be called the ESC-B, planned for a first launch in 2006.
The company plans to develop a Vulcain 3 first stage engine, which could be introduced in post-2006 versions.
Source: Flight Daily News