T. GERMANI; E. BANDELIER; PH. CLOUTET; D. RIBÉREAU; D. GARITTA; M. ANGELONE; A. CIUCCI; D. SCOCCIMARRO
DOI Number: 10.13009/EUCASS2023-096
The Ground Qualification of the Pl20C SRM, designed to be the Common Solid Propulsive Module as strap-on booster on Ariane 6 Launch Vehicle for both 62 and 64 versions and as first stage for Vega Consolidation and Vega Evolution vehicles, was successfully achieved in 2021 in the time frame scheduled despite a design to cost approach driven by a very ambitious low recurring cost objective. Fallowing this ground qualification, the Pl 20C SRM successfully flew on Vega-C VV2 l (maiden flight) and Vega-C VV22. It is now waiting for its first flight on Ariane 6 Launch Vehicle. The Design Definition Authority of the Pl20C SRM was entrusted by the Launcher System Prime Contractors to Europropulsion who has been responsible for the motor development and is in charge of production exploitation of the Pl 20C SRM with the support of Avio and ArianeGroup. Feedbacks from the satellites market in this phase of preparation to the first Ariane 6 commercial flights, showed that a very promising opportunity is represented by the launch of satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The first analyses performed at Ariane 6 System level indicated however the need to increase the A64 payload capability in LEO to be competitive in this interesting but very challenging market. Among the potential Launcher performance improvement options, the increase of SRM length by one meter and of the propellant mass up to about 156T, resulting in a Launcher performance enhancement Copyright© 2023 by First Author. Posted online by the EU CASS association with permission.