ESA's Herschel and Planck launcher contract signed (Forwarded)
- From: Andrew Yee <ayee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2005 13:14:08 -0500
ESA News http://www.esa.int
14 December 2005
ESA's Herschel and Planck launcher contract signed
The European Space Agency and the French company Arianespace signed a contract yesterday for the provision of an Ariane 5 ECA launcher for the Herschel and Planck spacecraft.
Herschel will study the birth of galaxies and stars and Planck the very early history of the Universe.
ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall for Arianespace signed the contract during a ceremony that took place at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France.
The Ariane 5 ECA, an upgraded version of the previous Ariane 5 G ('generic') launcher, successfully completed its qualification after its demonstration flight on 12 February and a commercial launch on 16 November this year.
Herschel and Planck will be launched on the so-called 'long-fairing' version of Ariane 5 ECA to accommodate the two spacecraft, which are 7.5 metres and 4.2 metres high, respectively, with a total launch mass of 5.3 tons.
The launcher will deliver both spacecraft on the transfer orbit towards their final observation site -- an orbit around the second Lagrangian point (L2) situated at 1.5 million kilometres from Earth away from the Sun.
Ariane 5 ECA, featuring an enhanced thrust and control capability, is perfectly suited to carry heavy loads like the Herschel and Planck couple into this particular and highly energy-demanding trajectory to destination.
The Herschel and Planck launch is currently scheduled for launch in late 2007/early 2008.
For more information:
Thomas Passvogel, ESA Herschel/Planck Project Manager E-mail: thomas.passvogel @ esa.int
More about...
* Herschel overview http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120390_index_0_m.html * Planck overview http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120398_index_0_m.html
Related articles
* Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB3AR1VED_index_0.html * The largest telescope mirror ever put into space http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMC7W1PGQD_extreme_0.html * Why infrared astronomy is a hot topic http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMX9PZO4HD_FeatureWeek_0.html * Revealing the invisible: Caroline and William Herschel http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM8600P4HD_index_0.html * How many stars are there in the Universe? http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM75BS1VED_extreme_0.html * L2, the second Lagrangian Point http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMO4QS1VED_index_0.html
Related links
* Arianespace http://www.arianespace.com * About Ariane 5 ECA http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Access_to_Space/SEM0LR2PGQD_0.html * Ariane 5 ECA http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Launchers_Home/SEM07N2PGQD_0.html
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8S2WLWFE_index_1.html]
ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall for Arianespace signed the contract during a ceremony that took place at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, on 13 December 2005.
Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja
[Image 2: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8S2WLWFE_index_1.html#subhead1] Artist's impression of Herschel and Planck in Ariane launcher fairing.
Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja .
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