ARIANE 1

ARIANE 1 is a rocket which made it possible to place satellite S in Orbite around the Ground, one also speaks about launcher .

It is the first version of all the fused series of ARIANE.

At the beginning it is especially the France which financed the project (two thirds) and the Germany (20 %). The design and manufacture were entrusted to the Aérospatiale, SEP for the engines, and to Matra for electronics.

Structure

With a mass on the takeoff of 210 tons for a 47,4 meters height and a diameter of 3,8 meters, it was able to place 1 850 kg in geostationary Orbit of transfer (GTO). It could take along only one large satellite or two small.

ARIANE 1 is a rocket on 3 floors:

the first was equipped with 4 Moteurs Viking of the SEP;
the second with only one Driving Viking;
the third had an engine Cryotechnique of 7 tons thorough (HM7).

This structure will be preserved until ARIANE 4.

Tests

The first flight took place successfully the December 24th 1979. The second exploded during takeoff. There were 2 more flights of qualification, starting from the June 19th 1981, which proceeded this time without problem. During the third flight, these are 3 satellites which were put into orbit.

Career

The September 10th 1982, its fifth flight, which was the first commercial flight, was a failure. The rocket stopped after 7 minutes of vol. After a major review of all the rocket, the six following flights were held without tear.

The flight 14 of the July 2nd 1985 sent the Sonde Giotto towards the Halley's Comet.

The last flight, eleventh of ARIANE 1, took place the February 22nd 1986, it launched the first Satellite Spot.

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