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K5ARH > SAT 11.06.96 21:43l 54 Lines 1963 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : 90919_K5ARH
Read: GUEST DK3EL
Subj: MORE ABOUT ARIANE 5 LAUNCH FAILURE
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Sent: 960610/0051z @:K5ARH.#LFT.LA.USA.NOAM #:90919 $:ans-160.01
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.01
On June 5, the European Space Agency and CNES, the
French Space Agency, sent the following joint news
release to the public concerning the failure on launch
of Ariane 501:
N 20-96 - Paris, 5 June 1996
ESA/CNES JOINT PRESS RELEASE
FLIGHT 501 FAILURE - FIRST INFORMATION
The first Ariane-5 launch took place on Tuesday, 4 June
1996, from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's Spaceport, at
Kourou in French Guiana. The launcher was carrying the
European Space Agency's four Cluster satellites, a science
mission to study Earth-Sun interactions.
Following nominal ignition of the Vulcain engine (H0) at
09.33.59 hours Kourou time, i.e. 12.33.59 hours GMT or
14.33.59 hours Paris time, the flight proceeded as follows:
* H0 + 7.5 s :
Ignition of solid booster stages and normal lift-off.
* Up to H0 + 37 s :
Flight guidance and trajectory normal. At this moment the
velocity of the launcher was Mach 0.7 (857 kph) and its
altitude 3500 m.
* H0 + 37 s to H0 + 39 s :
Sudden swiveling of both solid booster nozzles up to the
limit, recorded by telemetry. This caused the launcher to tilt
sharply, giving rise to intense aerodynamic loads on the
launcher structure resulting in breakage. Following loss of
launcher integrity, destruction of all launcher elements by
the onboard neutralization system.
Preliminary analysis of the telemetry data confirms that the
propulsion stages (solid boosters and cryogenic main stage)
functioned correctly. The direction of inquiry is tending
towards the launcher's "electrical and software system".
An independent inquiry board is being set up by ESA and
CNES to determine the causes of the failure and propose
corrective action. It will be asked to report by 15 July.
ESA, the European Space Agency, has delegated management of its Ariane-5
program to the French space agency, CNES.
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