MOWRY CALLS LAUNCH OVERCAPACITY BIGGEST ARIANE CHALLENGE
Overcapacity is launch market’s greatest challenge, Arianespace U.S.’s recently named Pres. Clayton Mowry said. Former SIA exec. dir. said added flexibility and increased performance would be key to success of any company in commercial launch market, with several vying for estimated 20 to 30 heavy class launches per year. “There is new capacity being brought to the market,” Mowry said. “In terms of price and service and capability it’s going to get more competitive.” As result, Arianespace is working to complete 3 new upper stages, 2 of which use cryogenic (mixture of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen) propulsion.
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Arianespace will deliver both ESC-A upper stage and EPS-V upper stage next year. ESC-A upper stage will use current Ariane 4 engine and will increase payload to 10 metric tons geostationary transfer orbit from current 2-4.9. EPS-V upper stage will use current Ariane 5 engine that’s storable propellant unit and not cryogenic upper stage. Payload will increase to 8 metric tons from Ariane 5’s current 6.5 metric tons. Launch vehicle will accommodate missions that require multiple ballistic coast phases and will be able to go directly to geostationary orbit. “The EPS- V is called the versatile stage,” Arianespace spokesman said. “It will be used for missions that need multiple re-ignites.”
ESC-B, 3rd and final upper stage, will be delivered in 2006, he said. Arianespace will use new cryogenic upper stage developed for new VINCI engine, also currently being developed. Payload, expected to reach 12 metric tons, has multiple re-ignite capability.
Increasing payload capacity will enable Arianespace to continue its philosophy of carrying 2 heavy-scale satellites at once so customers can share cost of launch, source said. Upper- stage cryogenic will enable company to fly two 5-6 ton satellites simultaneously, resulting in the industry’s largest payload. “The idea is to keep Ariane at the forefront in terms of its lift capabilities,” Mowry said: “Once it’s developed, it will be the most powerful vehicle out there.” He also said Arianespace was working to cut production costs while increasing lift capacity to lower customer price. All 3 new upper stages will accommodate multiple payloads in instances where customers want to launch constellation or cluster satellites.
Adding further capacity to market, Mowry listed Sea Launch and International Launch Services as main competitors in race to build launch vehicles that can handle heavier payloads for commercial market. Also, Defense Dept. has reinvigorated Delta and Atlas rockets by investing in Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program to develop heavy lift capacity. Both Lockheed Delta 4 and Boeing Atlas 5 have advanced through EELV. Rockets focus primarily on govt. launches, but also will compete in commercial market. Development and Initial Launch Services contracts were awarded to Boeing and Lockheed Martin in 1998. Each received $500 million development contract. Boeing’s ILS contract was worth $1.38 billion and Lockheed Martin’s ILS contract $650 million.
Mowry joined Arianespace Aug. 6, not long after July 12 malfunction of Ariane 5’s flight 142. Failure was first for Arianespace since 1994, although majority of successful launches were by Ariane 4. “Ariane 4 has established a tremendous track record in terms of success,” he said. “Ariane 5 doesn’t quite have the history yet that the 4 had. In terms of ability, it’s doing quite well. We expect it to pick up where the 4 left off.” Mowry said company was taking all necessary corrective measures, and “there will be a restored confidence in the vehicle.”
Mowry said his transition from SIA had been easy and he credited SIA with providing him solid foundation. “SIA was a great experience for me in terms of building my knowledge and experience in the industry,” he said. “They were brand new when I started there. SIA was sort of my organization to build, and I did it for 6 years and I enjoyed it.” Mowry said he believed Arianespace was gold standard in launch business, and opportunity was one he couldn’t turn down.