CNES has awarded to a consortium led by GTD, formed by GTD and CLEMESSY (a subsidiary of the Eiffage Group), the contract for the ‘operational computer systems and Control Rooms’ of the future ARIANE 6 launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, for which CNES has responsibility.The Ariane 6 programme, approved at the Ministerial Council meeting of the European Space Agency (ESA) on 2 December 2014, aims to reduce the cost of space launch by half compared to Ariane 5 and thus enable Europe to remain number one in the commercial launch services market while responding to the needs of European institutional missions.Tasked with developing the ground facilities for this program at the Guiana Space Centre, CNES is in charge of building the new ELA 4 launch complex for Ariane 6.Work under contract signed today in Paris by CNES Launchers Director Jean-Marc Astorg (center), Angel Ramirez GTD Chairman (left) & CLEMESSY Space Director Christian Holder (right), worth a total of €22,5 million, will begin immediately. Project is scheduled for completion in October 2018, with the first Ariane 6 launch slated for late 2020.The Operational Control Center represents the largest component in the Ariane 6 ground segment. It handles all interface management between the Ariane launcher and ground facilities during launch preparation phases. It ensures information exchange between on-board equipment and the ground, and controls the launch count-down. The control center is a real-time critical system.The design and development of the Ariane 6 control center is a real challenge for several reasons: the safety and operational constraints; the compatibility with the test benches used at earlier stages of the development cycle; the fully distributed architecture; the need for online repair and re-insertion of failed redundant units without interrupting the launch countdown, etc….Angel Ramirez, the President of GTD declared: “We are very glad to have been awarded this new, emblematic contract that is the result of the synergy of expertise across GTD and CLEMESSY, working as a single integrated team to best meet CNES’s and ASL’s expectations.” Ariane 6: a rapid overviewThe overarching aim of Ariane 6 is to provide guaranteed access to space for Europe at a competitive price without requiring public sector support for exploitation.The targeted payload performance of Ariane 6 is over 4.5 t for polar/Sun-synchronous orbit missions at 800 km altitude. Ariane 6 can loft a payload mass of 5–10.5 tonnes in equivalent geostationary transfer orbit.Artist's view of the two configurations of Ariane 6 compared with Ariane 5 Ariane 6 industrial Organization ESA has defined the following workshare: Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL) is prime contractor and design authority for the launcher and production facilities, meanwhile CNES-DLA will be ‘Maitre d’Ouvrage’ for the site facilities and the launch pad construction at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou.
