Editing Ariane (rocket family)

{{Short description|Family of European medium- and heavy-lift rocket launch vehicles}}
[[File:Ariane4.jpg|thumb|upright|The first ever [[Ariane 4]] launch from [[Kourou]] on June 14, 1988]]
'''Ariane''' is a series of European civilian [[expendable launch vehicle]]s for space launch use. The name comes from the French spelling of the mythological character [[Ariadne]]. France first proposed the '''Ariane project''' and it was officially agreed upon at the end of 1973 after discussions between France, Germany and the UK. The project was Western Europe's second attempt at developing its own launcher following the unsuccessful [[Europa rocket|Europa]] project. The Ariane project was code-named '''L3S''' (the French abbreviation for third-generation substitution launcher).

The [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) charged [[Aérospatiale]] (whose former assets now form [[Airbus]]) with the development of all Ariane launchers and of the testing facilities, while [[Arianespace]] handled production, operations and marketing after its creation in 1980. Arianespace launches Ariane [[rocket]]s from the [[Guiana Space Centre]] at [[Kourou]] in [[French Guiana]]. As a result of the merger in 2000 that founded Airbus, the new corporation's [[Airbus Defence and Space|space branch]] and subsequently its subsidiary with [[Safran]], [[ArianeGroup]], took over the duties of the defunct Aérospatiale.

== Ariane versions ==
{{Ariane evolution graphical timeline}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! [[Launch vehicle]] !! Launches: successes / total  !! Variants !! Payload to [[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]] !! Payload to [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] !! Height !! Mass !! Stages
|-
| [[Ariane 1]] || 9 / 11 || - || {{convert|1850|kg|abbr=on}} || - || {{convert|47.46|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|211500|kg|lb|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 3
|-
| [[Ariane 2]] || 5 / 6 || - || {{convert|2180|kg|abbr=on}} || - || {{convert|49.13|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|220950|kg|lb|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 3
|-
| [[Ariane 3]] || 10 / 11 || - || {{convert|2700|kg|abbr=on}} || - || {{convert|49.13|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|234 |t|ST|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 3
|-
| [[Ariane 4]] || 113 / 116 || 40, 42P, 42L, 44P, 44LP, 44L || {{convert|2000|-|4300|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || {{convert|5000|-|7600|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || {{convert|58.72|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|240|-|470|t|ST|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 3
|-
| [[Ariane 5]] || 115 / 117 || G, G+, GS, ECA || {{convert|6950|-|10500|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || {{convert|16000|-|21000|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || {{convert|46|-|52|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|720|-|780|t|ST|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 2
|-
| [[Ariane 6]] || 1 / 2 || 62, 64 || {{convert|5000|-|10500|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || {{convert|7000|-|20000|kg|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || ~{{convert|63|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{convert|500|-|900|t|ST|abbr=on|disp=br()}} || 2
|-
| [[Ariane Next]] || In early development,<br />due for launch from the 2030s<ref>{{cite conference|last1=Patureau de Mirand |first1=Antoine |title=Ariane Next, a vision for a reusable cost efficient European rocket |conference=8th European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences |date=July 2019 |url=https://www.eucass.eu/index.php/component/docindexer/?task=download&id=5506 |format=PDF |doi=10.13009/EUCASS2019-949 |access-date=18 August 2021}}</ref> || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
|}
[[File:Evolution-of-ArianeGroup-Ariane-launch-vehicles.webm|thumb|Evolution of the Ariane rocket family]]
Ariane 1 was a three-stage launcher, derived from [[missile]] technology. The first two stages used [[hypergolic propellant]]s and the third stage used [[cryogenic]] [[liquid hydrogen]] and [[liquid oxygen]] (LH2/LOX). Ariane 2–4 were enhancements of the basic vehicle. The major differences are improved versions of the [[Rocket engine|engines]], allowing stretched first- and third-stage tanks and greater payloads. The largest versions can launch two [[satellite]]s, mounted in the [[SPELDA]] (Structure Porteuse Externe pour Lancements Doubles Ariane) adapter.

Such later versions are often seen with strap-on [[Booster (rocketry)|boosters]]. These layouts are designated by suffixes after the generation number. First is the total number of boosters, then letters designating [[liquid fuel|liquid]]- or [[solid fuel|solid-fuelled]] stages. For example, an Ariane 42P is an Ariane 4 with two solid-fuel boosters. An Ariane 44LP has two solid, two liquid boosters, and a 44L has four liquid-fuel boosters.

[[File:Ariane rocket at Bourget airport museum, Paris.JPG|thumb|[[Ariane 5]] rocket at [[Le Bourget Air and Space Museum]], Paris]]Ariane 5 is a nearly complete redesign. The two hypergolic lower stages are replaced with a single LH2/LOX core stage. This simplifies the stack, along with the use of a single core engine ([[Vulcain (rocket engine)|Vulcain]]). Because the core cannot lift its own weight, two solid-fuel boosters are strapped to the sides. The boosters can be recovered for examination, but are not reused. There are two versions of the upper stage, one hypergolic and restartable with a single [[Aestus]] engine <ref>[http://cs.astrium.eads.net/sp/launcher-propulsion/rocket-engines/aestus-rocket-engine.html Aestus Rocket Engine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202195939/http://cs.astrium.eads.net/sp/launcher-propulsion/rocket-engines/aestus-rocket-engine.html |date=2014-02-02 }} Astrium (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company)</ref> and the other with a [[HM7B]] cryogenic engine burning LH2/LOX.

On 4 May 2007, an Ariane 5-ECA rocket set a new commercial payload record, lifting two satellites with a combined mass of 9.4 tonnes.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6621297.stm European rocket powers to record] BBC news</ref>

By January 2006, 169 Ariane flights had boosted 290 satellites, successfully placing 271 of them on orbit (223 main passengers and 48 auxiliary passengers) for a total mass of 575,000&nbsp;kg successfully delivered on orbit.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} Attesting to the ubiquity of Ariane launch vehicles, France's [[Cerise (satellite)|Cerise satellite]], which was orbited by an Ariane 4 in 1995,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spx501.html |title=SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 501 |publisher=[[NASA]] |access-date=2009-08-26| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090814082505/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spx501.html| archive-date= 2009-08-14 | url-status= live}}</ref> struck a discarded Ariane rocket stage in 1996.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/209955/output/print |title=Space Junk |magazine=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=2009-08-26| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091008065913/http://www.newsweek.com/id/209955/output/print| archive-date= 2009-10-08 | url-status= live}}</ref> The incident marked the first verified case of a collision with a piece of catalogued [[space debris]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4486049.stm |title=CO<sub>2</sub> prolongs life of 'space junk' |work=BBC News |access-date=2009-08-26 | date=May 5, 2005}}</ref>

On February 16, 2011, the 200th Ariane rocket was launched, successfully carrying the [[Johannes Kepler ATV]] into [[low Earth orbit]] and providing [[International Space Station]] with supplies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/02/ariane-mission-launch-atv-2-space-station/|title=Ariane 5 launches ATV-2 for journey to the ISS|last=Gebhardt|first=Chris|date=2011-02-15|website=NASASpaceFlight.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-24}}</ref>

On November 26, 2019, flight number 250 was performed, lifting two [[communications satellite]]s: [[TIBA-1]] and [[Inmarsat-5]] F5 (GX5).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/arianes-250th-mission-is-a-success-tiba-1-and-inmarsat-gx5-are-in-orbit/|title=Ariane's 250th mission is a success: TIBA-1 and Inmarsat GX5 are in orbit!|website=Arianespace|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-24}}</ref>

On December 25, 2021, [[Ariane flight VA256]] lifted NASA's [[James Webb Space Telescope]] towards Earth/Sun [[Lagrange point]] L2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/ariane-5-launches-nasas-james-webb-space-telescope/|title=Ariane 5 launches NASA's James Webb Space Telescope|date=25 December 2021 }}</ref>

Ariane 5 flew its final mission on 5 July 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Svenson |first=Adam |date=2023-07-06 |title=Last Ariane 5 Mission Leaves Europe Without Launch Capacity |url=https://airspacenews.net/last-ariane-5-mission-leaves-europe-without-launch-capacity/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=AIR SPACE News |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Ariane launches]]
*[[Liquid fly-back booster]]
*[[Comparison of orbital launchers families]]
*[[Diamant]]
*[[Europa (rocket)]]
*[[Vega (rocket)|Vega]]
*[[French space program]]
*[[European Space Agency]]
*[[Arianespace]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.esa.int European Space Agency]
*[http://www.arianespace.com Arianespace]
*[http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=35013 Downloadable paper models of various ESA spacecraft (Ariane at the bottom)]
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Ariane}}
{{Rocket families}}
{{European launch systems}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}


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[[Category:Ariane (rocket family)| ]]
[[Category:Space program of France]]
[[Category:European Space Agency]]
[[Category:Rocket families]]