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Arianespace

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Arianespace
Company typeSubsidary
IndustrySpace
FoundedMarch 26, 1980;44 years ago(March 26, 1980)
Headquarters
Évry-Courcouronnes
,
France
ProductsAriane 6,Vega
RevenueIncrease€1.433 billion(2015)
Increase€4 million(2015)
Number of employees
220 (2023)[1]
ParentArianeGroup
Websitearianespace

Arianespace SAis a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commerciallaunch service provider.It is the operator of two differentlaunch vehicles:Vega,asmall-lift rocketandAriane 6,amediumorheavy-liftrocket, depending on configuration.

European space launches are conducted by several private companies and government agencies working together. The role of Arianespace is to market the launch services, prepare the missions and handle all relations with customers. At theGuiana Space Centre(CSG) the company oversees the team that integrates and prepares vehicles for launch.

The rockets themselves are designed and produced by other companies, its parent company,ArianeGroupfor the Ariane 6 orAviofor the Vega. Launch infrastructure at the CSG is owned by theEuropean Space Agencyand the land itself is owned and operated byCNES,the French national space agency.

As of May 2021,Arianespace had launched more than 850 satellites in 287 launches over 41 years. The first commercial flight managed by the new entity was Spacenet F1 launched on 23 May 1984. Arianespace uses theGuiana Space CentreinFrench Guianaas its main launch site. It has its headquarters in the Paris suburb ofÉvry-Courcouronnes.

History[edit]

The formation of Arianespace SA is closely associated with the desire of severalEuropeannations to pursue joint collaboration in the field of space exploration and the formation of a pan-national organisation, theEuropean Space Agency(ESA), to oversee such undertaking during 1973.[2]Prior to the ESA's formation,Francehad been lobbying for the development of a new Europeanexpendable launch systemto serve as a replacement for theEuroparocket.[3]Accordingly, one of the first programmes launched by the ESA was theArianeheavy launcher.[3]The express purpose of this launcher was to facilitate the delivery ofcommercial satellitesintogeosynchronous orbit.[4]

Ariane 1mock-up

France was the largest stakeholder in the Arianedevelopmentprogramme.[5]Frenchaerospace manufacturerAérospatialeserved as theprime contractorand held responsibility for performing the integration of all sections of the vehicle, while French engine manufacturerSociété Européenne de Propulsion(SEP) provided the first, second and third stage engines (the third stage engines were produced in partnership with German aerospace manufacturerMBB). Other major companies involved included the French firms Air Liquide andMatra,Swedish manufacturerVolvo,and German aircraft producerDornier Flugzeugwerke.[5]Development of the third stage was a major focus point for the project - prior to Ariane, only the United States had ever flown a launcher that utilised hydrogen-powered upper stages.[6]

Immediately following the successfulfirst test launchof anAriane 1on 24 December 1979, the French space agencyCentre national d'études spatiales(CNES) and the ESA created a new company,Arianespace,for the purpose of promoting, marketing, and managing Ariane operations.[7][8]According to Arianespace, at the time of its establishment, it was the world's first launch services company.[9]Following a further three test launches, the first commercial launch took place on 10 September 1982, which ended in failure as a result of aturbopumphaving failed in the third stage.[10]The six remaining flights of the Ariane 1 were successful, with the final flight occurring during February 1986.[11]As a result of these repeated successes, orders for the Ariane launcher quickly mounted up; by early 1984, a total of 27 satellites had been booked to use Ariane, which was estimated to be half of the world's market at that time. As a result of the commercial success, after the tenth Ariane mission was flown, the ESA formally transferred responsibility for Ariane over to Arianespace.[11]

By early 1986, the Ariane 1, along with itsAriane 2andAriane 3derivates, were the dominant launcher on the world market.[11][12]The Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 were short-lived platforms while the more extensiveAriane 4was being developed; it was a considerably larger and more flexible launcher that the earlier members of its family, having been intended from the onset to compete with the upper end of launchers worldwide. In comparison, while the Ariane 1 had a typical weight of 207 tonnes and could launch payloads of up to 1.7 tonnes into orbit; the larger Ariane 4 had a typical weight of 470 tonnes and could orbit payloads of up to 4.2 tonnes.[13]Despite this, the Ariane 4 was actually 15 per cent smaller than the Ariane 3.[14]

On 15 June 1988, the first successful launch of the Ariane 4 was conducted.[14]This maiden flight was considered a success, having placed multiple satellites into orbit.[14]For the V50 launch onwards, an improved third stage, known as theH10+,was adopted for the Ariane 4, which raised the rocket's overall payload capacity by 110 kg and increased its burn time by 20 seconds.[15]

Ariane 4on launch pad

Even prior to the first flight of the Ariane 4 in 1988, development of a successor, designated as theAriane 5,had already commenced.[16]In January 1985, the Ariane 5 was officially adopted as an ESA programme, and began an eleven-year development and test program to the first launch in 1996. It lacked the high levels of commonality that the Ariane 4 had with its predecessors, and had been designed not only for launching heavier payloads of up to 5.2 tonnes and at a 20 per cent cost reduction over the Ariane 4, but for a higher margin of safety due to the fact that the Ariane 5 was designed to conduct crewed space launches as well, being intended to transportastronautsusing the proposedHermes space vehicle.[17]Development of the Ariane 5 was not without controversy as some ESA members considered the mature Ariane 4 platform to be more suited for meeting established needs for such launchers; it was reportedly for this reason that Britain chose not to participate in the Ariane 5 programme.[18]For several years, Ariane 4 and Ariane 5 launchers were operated interchangeably; however, it was eventually decided to terminate all Ariane 4 operations in favour of concentrating on the newer Ariane 5.[19]

During the mid-1990s, French firmsAérospatialeand SEP, along with Italian firmBombrini-Parodi-Delfino(BPD), held discussions on the development of a proposed Ariane Complementary Launcher (ACL). Simultaneously, Italy championed the concept of a new solid-propellant satellite launcher, referred to asVega.[20][21]During March 2003, contracts for Vega's development were signed by the ESA and CNES; Italy provided 65 per cent of funding while six additional nations contributed the remainder.[22]In May 2004, it was reported that a contract was signed between commercial operator Arianespace and prime contractor ELV to perform vehicle integration atKourou,French Guiana.[23]On 13 February 2012, the first launch of the Vega took place; it was reported as being an "apparently perfect flight".[24][25]Since entering commercial service, Arianespace markets Vega as a launch system tailored for missions topolarandSun-synchronousorbits.[26]

During 2002, the ESA announced theArianespace Soyuzprogramme in cooperation withRussia;a launch site for Soyuz was constructed as theGuiana Space Centre,while the Soyuz launch vehicle was modified for use at the site. On 4 February 2005, both funding and final approval for the initiative were granted.[27][28]Arianespace had offered launch services on the modified Soyuz ST-B to its clients.[29][30]On 21 October 2011, Arianespace launched the first Soyuz rocket ever from outside formerSovietterritory. The payload consisted of twoGalileonavigation satellites.[31]Since 2011, Arianespace has ordered a total of 23 Soyuz rockets, enough to cover its needs until 2019 at a pace of three to four launches per year.[32][33]

On 21 January 2019, ArianeGroup and Arianespace announced that it had signed a one-year contract with the ESA to study and prepare for a mission to the Moon to mineregolith.[34]

In 2020, Arianespace suspended operations for nearly two months due to theCOVID-19pandemic. Operations were suspended on 18 March and are, as of 29 April, expected to resume on 11 May.[35]The return to operations will observe a number of new health and safety guidelines includingsocial distancingin the workplace.[35]

In 2023, Ariane 5 was retired with the introduction of newAriane 6,that comducted its maiden flight on 9 July 2024.

Company and infrastructure[edit]

Vegalauncher on launch pad

Arianespace "is the marketing and sales organization for the European space industry and various component suppliers."[36]

The primary shareholders of Arianespace are itssuppliers,[why?]in various European nations.[37]Arianespace had 24 shareholders in 2008,[38]21 in 2014,[39]and just 17 as of October 2018.[40]

Country Total share Shareholder Capital
Belgium 3.36% SABCA 2.71%
Thales Alenia SpaceBelgium 0.33%
Safran Aero Boosters[fr] 0.32%
France 64.10%
ArianeGroup 62.10%
Air LiquideSA 1.89%
Clemessy[fr] 0.11%
CIE Deutsche <0.01%
Germany 19.85% ArianeGroup 11.59%
MT Aerospace[de]AG 8.26%
Italy 3.38% AvioS.p.A. 3.38%
Netherlands 1.94% Airbus Defence and SpaceB.V. 1.94%
Norway 0.11% Kongsberg Defence & AerospaceAS 0.11%
Spain 2.14% Airbus Defence and SpaceSAU 2.03%
CRISA 0.11%
Sweden 2.45% GKN AerospaceSweden AB 1.63%
RUAG SpaceAB 0.82%
Switzerland 2.67% RUAG SchweizAG 2.67%

In 2015, Arianespace shareholding was restructured due to the creation ofAirbus Safran Launchers(later renamed ArianeGroup), which is tasked with developing and manufacturing theAriane 6carrier rocket. Industrial groupsAirbusandSafranpooled their shares along with the French government'sCNESstake to form a partnership company holding just under 74% of Arianespace shares, while the remaining 26% is spread across suppliers in nine countries including further Airbus subsidiaries.[41]

Corporate management[edit]

As of July 2024,the Arianespace management team was:[42]

Position Name
Arianespace Chief Executive Officer, ArianeGroup Executive VP Stéphane Israël
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Michel Doubovick
Senior Vice President, Head of the Ariane Business Unit Caroline Arnoux
Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer Claudia Flöte
Senior Vice President, Head of the Vega Business Unit Marino Fragnito
Senior Vice President, Human Resources Director Maëla Guyomarc’h
Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer Steven Rutgers
Senior Vice President, Chief Brand and Communications Officer Julie Lenoir
Senior Vice President, Chief Technical Officer Pierre Yves Tissier

Regional offices[edit]

Location Head of branch
French Guiana Loic Menager
USA, Washington D.C. Wiener Kernisan
Japan, Tokyo Kiyoshi Takamatsu
ASEAN,Singapore Vivian Quenet

Subsidiaries[edit]

  • Arianespace inc. (U.S. Subsidiary)
  • Arianespace Singapore PTE LTD. (Asian Subsidiary)
  • StarsemS.A. (European-Russian Soyuz commercialization)

Competition and pricing[edit]

Main article:Space launch market competition

By 2004, Arianespace reportedly held more than 50% of the world market for boosting satellites togeostationary transfer orbit(GTO).[43]

During the 2010s, the disruptive force represented by the new sector entrantSpaceXforced Arianespace to cut back on its workforce and focus on cost-cutting to decrease costs to remain competitive against the new low-cost entrant in the launch sector. In the midst ofpricing pressurefrom such companies, during November 2013, Arianespace announced that it was enacting pricing flexibility for the "lighter satellites" that it carries toGeostationaryorbits aboard its Ariane 5.[36][44]According to Arianespace's managing director: "It's quite clear there's a very significant challenge coming fromSpaceX(...) therefore things have to change (...) and the whole European industry is being restructured, consolidated, rationalised and streamlined. "[45]

During early 2014, Arianespace was considering requesting additional subsidies from European governments to face competition from SpaceX and unfavorable changes in the Euro-Dollar exchange rate. The company had halved subsidy support by €100m per year since 2002 but the fall in the value of the US Dollar meant Arianespace was losing €60m per year due to currency fluctuations on launch contracts.[46]SpaceX had reportedly begun to take market share from Arianespace,[37]EutelsatCEOMichel de Rosen,a major customer of Arianespace, stated that: "Each year that passes will see SpaceX advance, gain market share and further reduce its costs througheconomies of scale."[37]

By September 2014, Arianespace had reportedly to sign four additional contracts for lower slots on anAriane 5 SYLDAdispenser for satellites that otherwise could be flown on a SpaceX launch vehicle; this was claimed to have been allowed via cost reductions; it had signed a total of 11 contracts by that point, while two additional ones that were under advanced negotiations. At the time, Arianespace has a backlog of launches worth€4.5billion with 38 satellites to be launched onAriane 5,7 onSoyuzand 9 onVega,claiming 60% of the global satellite launch market.[47][48][49]However, since 2017, Arianespace's market share has been passed by SpaceX in commercial launches.[50]

Launch vehicles[edit]

Mockups of all the launch vehicles that Arianespace markets as of 2017: Vega, Vega-C, Soyuz, Ariane 5, and the future Ariane 6.

Currently, Arianespace operates 1 launch vehicle:

Name Payload toLEO(includingSSO) Payload toGTO
Vega 1,450 kilograms (3,200 lb)
Ariane 62 10,350 kilograms (22,820 lb) 4,500 kilograms (9,900 lb)
Ariane 64 21,650 kilograms (47,730 lb) 11,500 kilograms (25,400 lb)

Additionally, Arianespace offers optional back-up launch service onH-IIAthroughLaunch Services Alliance.[51]

Ariane launch vehicles[edit]

Main article:Ariane (rocket family)

Since the first launch in 1979, there have been several versions of the Arianelaunch vehicle:

  • Ariane 1,first successful launch on December 24, 1979
  • Ariane 2,first successful launch on November 20, 1987(the first launch on May 30, 1986, failed)
  • Ariane 3,first successful launch on August 4, 1984
  • Ariane 4,first successful launch on June 15, 1988
  • Ariane 5,first successful launch on October 30, 1997(the first launch on June 4, 1996, failed).
  • Ariane 6,It has a similar payload capacity to that of Ariane 5 but considerably lower costs. Its first flight took place on July 9, 2024.[52]
  • Ariane Next,in early development. It will be a partially reusable launcher that should succeed Ariane 6 from the 2030s. The objective of this reusable launcher is to halve the launch costs.[53]

See also[edit]

Other launch service providers[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^About Us
  2. ^Harvey 2003, pp. 161-162.
  3. ^abHarvey 2003, p. 161.
  4. ^Harvey 2003, pp. 161-166.
  5. ^abHarvey 2003, p. 166.
  6. ^Harvey 2003, pp. 165-166.
  7. ^Harvey 2003, p. 169.
  8. ^ Jaeger, Ralph-W.; Claudon, Jean-Louis (May 1986).Ariane — The first commercial space transportation system.Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science. Vol. 2. Tokyo, Japan: AGNE Publishing, Inc. (published 1986).Bibcode:1986spte.conf.1431J.A87-32276 13-12.
  9. ^ "Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world's first launch services company".arianespace. Archived fromthe originalon 18 February 2008.Retrieved7 March2008.
  10. ^Harvey 2003, pp. 170-172.
  11. ^abcHarvey 2003, p. 172.
  12. ^"Ariane 1,2,3".Ariane 1.European Space Agency.3 May 2004.Retrieved28 September2009.
  13. ^Harvey 2003, p. 178.
  14. ^abcHarvey 2003, p. 180.
  15. ^Harvey 2003, p. 183.
  16. ^Harvey 2003, pp. 184-185.
  17. ^Harvey 2003, p. 185.
  18. ^Harvey 2003, p. 186.
  19. ^Harvey 2003, p. 193.
  20. ^1996-12-18T00:00:00+00:00."Launcher proposals".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^1998-04-08T00:00:00+01:00."ESA plan emphasises launchers".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^2003-03-04T00:00:00+00:00."Europe starts Vega development".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^2004-05-25T00:00:00+01:00."Vega nears maiden flight".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^Thisdell2012-02-13T17:39:00+00:00, Dan."Vega maiden launch goes to plan".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^Thisdell2012-02-22T10:30:00+00:00, Dan."Success of Vega rocket flight boosts Avio profile".Flight Global.Retrieved2024-07-14.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^"Vega — Performance".Arianespace.
  27. ^"Access to space today and tomorrow: what does Europe need?".Space Daily. 26 May 2003.Retrieved24 August2014.
  28. ^"Europe takes key decisions to ensure the long-term viability of its launcher sector".Arianespace. 5 February 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 December 2010.Retrieved24 August2014.
  29. ^"Soyuz from the Guiana Space Centre – User's manual"(PDF).Arianespace. March 2012.Archived(PDF)from the original on 22 December 2015.Retrieved16 December2015.
  30. ^Stephen Clark (21 August 2014)."Europe's Galileo navigation system set for expansion".Spaceflight Now.Retrieved27 August2014.
  31. ^"Arianespace Launches First European Soyuz".Interspacenews.Retrieved17 December2011.
  32. ^"Arianespace's Soyuz order to cover market until 2019".Spaceflight Now. 7 April 2014.Retrieved24 August2014.
  33. ^"Arianespace Annual report 2013"(PDF).Arianespace. p. 10. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 3 September 2014.Retrieved24 August2014.
  34. ^Wehner, Mike (23 January 2019)."Mining on the moon could be a reality as early as 2025".New York Post.Retrieved23 January2019.
  35. ^ab"Arianespace set the dates for its return to action".29 April 2020.
  36. ^ab Mr. Richard (23 June 2013).Singapore Satellite Industry Forum 2013 - Changing the Launch Game?(video).Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia.Retrieved14 April2018– via YouTube.
  37. ^abc de Selding, Peter B. (20 November 2014)."Europe's Satellite Operators Urge Swift Development of Ariane 6".SpaceNews.Archived fromthe originalon November 21, 2014.Retrieved21 November2014.France-based Arianespace has responded by squeezing, to a limited degree, its supplier base. But Ariane 5 builders are also Arianespace shareholders, limiting the company's leverage on them.
  38. ^Corporate information > Shareholders,Arianespace, 8 September 2008, accessed 16 April 2008.
  39. ^ "Shareholders".Arianespace. Archived fromthe originalon 8 October 2014.Retrieved14 April2018.
  40. ^"Company profile – Repartition of Arianespace capital".Arianespace.Retrieved25 October2018.
  41. ^Gallois, Dominique (10 June 2015)."Le gouvernement privatise Arianespace"[Government privatizes Arianespace].Le Monde(in French).Retrieved25 October2018.
  42. ^"Governance".Arianespace. 2024.Retrieved9 July2024.
  43. ^McCormick, John (2004).The European Union(3rd ed.).Westview Press.pp.273.ISBN978-0-8133-4202-3.
  44. ^de Selding, Peter B. (25 November 2013)."SpaceX Challenge Has Arianespace Rethinking Pricing Policies".Space News.Archived fromthe originalon November 27, 2013.Retrieved27 November2013.The Arianespace commercial launch consortium is telling its customers it is open to reducing the cost of flights for lighter satellites on the Ariane 5 rocket in response to the challenge posed by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
  45. ^Ramli, David (19 May 2015)."NBN launcher Arianespace to cut jobs and costs to fight SpaceX".The Sydney Morning Herald(Australia).
  46. ^Svitak, Amy (11 February 2014)."Arianespace To ESA: We Need Help".Aviation Week.Archived fromthe originalon 21 February 2014.Retrieved21 February2014.
  47. ^"Arianespace nets four commercial launch contracts".8 September 2014.Retrieved9 September2014.
  48. ^"World Satellite Business Week 2014: A rich harvest of contracts for Arianespace"(Press release). 8 September 2014.Retrieved9 September2014.
  49. ^"Europe's Arianespace Claims 60% Of The Commercial Launch Market".9 September 2014.Retrieved9 September2014.
  50. ^Wang, Brian."After Four Years of Being Crushed by SpaceX, Europe Forms a Working Group".NextBigfuture.Retrieved23 March2021.
  51. ^"Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Arianespace conclude MOU on cooperation in commercial space rocket launches".Arianespace. 7 June 2013.Retrieved18 August2014.
  52. ^"Ariane 6 inaugural launch targeted for 9 July".esa.int.Retrieved2024-06-16.
  53. ^Patureau de Mirand, Antoine (July 2019).Ariane Next, a vision for a reusable cost-efficient European rocket(PDF).8th European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences.doi:10.13009/EUCASS2019-949.Retrieved18 August2021.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Harvey, Brian.Europe's Space Programme: To Ariane and Beyond.Springer Science & Business Media, 2003.ISBN1-8523-3722-2.
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