Ariane 6 maiden flight: Auxiliary upper stage engine failed
An unexpected incident occurred during the Ariane 6 flight: the auxiliary power unit failed to re-ignite the upper stage Vinci engine.
(Image: ArianeGroup)
During the maiden flight of the European launch vehicle Ariane 6, the auxiliary drive of the rocket's upper stage failed during a technical demonstration. This was reported by n-tv on Wednesday. ArianeGroup had wanted to use the auxiliary propulsion system to show that the Vinci engine can be reignited to place payloads in different orbits. The engine is said to have ignited, but then stopped operating.
Problems with auxiliary power unit
The plan was to launch a total of 17 payloads into orbit. 15 of these were successfully launched into space. Two more were to be placed in a different orbit after the Vinci engine had been reignited. However, this did not work as planned, reports n-tv. The reason for this is said to have been the auxiliary engine, which initially ignited but then failed. This meant that the upper stage's Vinci engine could not be ignited again. The upper stage, which weighs around two tons, is now to remain in space together with the two payloads at an altitude of 580 km. The original plan was for the upper stage to burn up on entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Videos by heise
According to Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup, this was a technical demonstration. The aim was to test how the rocket behaves in a phase of microgravity, a period with no or very low gravity.
Sion regretted the incident. However, a technical demonstration is there to carry out tests that cannot be tried out on the ground. However, Sion has not yet been able to reveal the exact reason for the failure. Sion suspects that the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) could be responsible. The component has not yet been tested under zero gravity conditions. However, the necessary flight data is not yet available and would then have to be evaluated. Only when the exact cause has been determined will the public be informed.
Another Ariane 6 flight is due to take place this year. Six Ariane 6 flights are planned for 2025.
(olb)
