Ariane 6 Technology Contracts go to Kongsberg

Two contracts to deliver Ariane 6 technology for Europe's new launcher have been signed between Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and ESA.

"This contract allows us to continue our long-lasting and valuable collaboration with ArianeGroup, the Lead industrial contractor and design authority for Ariane 6. This represents an important milestone to Kongsberg.”

Harald Aarø, Executive Vice President Kongsberg's division for Space and Surveillance.

Kongsberg will deliver the forward booster attachment and release mechanism (UPPA), the Optical Safety Barrier (OSB) and the Level Conditioner for the next-generation launcher. The contract is a 30 year frame agreement with a total value of up to 200 million Euros ($235.5 million).

“We are very pleased that this contract allows us to continue our long-lasting and valuable collaboration with ArianeGroup, the Lead industrial contractor and design authority for Ariane 6. This represents an important milestone to Kongsberg,” said Harald Aarø, Executive Vice President Kongsberg's division for Space and Surveillance. “The support from the Norwegian Space Agency (NSA) and ESA has played an important role in reaching this milestone.”

UPPA, the forward booster attachment and release mechanism, transmits power from the engines to the lower part of the launcher during the critical time of liftoff. The boosters use all their fuel within the first two minutes after the rocket launcher lifts off from the launch pad, and are then with extreme precision released and discarded from the launcher. Kongsberg has delivered the booster attachment for Ariane 5 since 1996. The booster attachment for Ariane 6 is modified to fit the new launcher design.

The Level Conditioner (LC) is an important part of the fuel level measurement system, and it is used for monitoring the fuel levels of liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen. The LC units are part of the functional chain and are used during all phases of the flight, check of full tanks before lift-off, level control during flight and stop control of the engines when the tanks are empty. There are typically 25 LC’s in each launcher.

The Level Conditioner is originally designed for Ariane 5 and used in all flights since 1996 and will continue into Ariane 6. More than 3400 flight models of the Level Conditioner are built and launched.

The Optical Safety Barrier (OSB) acts as a safety barrier for the fiber-optic based pyrotechnic control and command system onboard the Ariane 6. Pyrotechnic is used in both launchers and satellites in space and is traditionally based on electro pyro and pyro lines with primary explosives. The fiber-optical pyro system onboard Ariane 6 offers significant cost reductions in terms of installation and procurement. The devices are relatively simple, light and compact and provide near-instantaneous response with very little input energy. This will be the first time Opto-Pyrotechnics has been successfully integrated and used on a European space launcher. The control and command system onboard the Ariane 6 system is a technological breakthrough, and will enhance the safety, reliability and performance of the launch system.

(Source: Kongsberg news release. Image provided)