Ariane 4
 |
Ariane 42P rocket with the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite (Kourou, August 10, 1992) (NASA) |
Ariane 4 was an
expendable launch system, designed by the
European Space Agency and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary
Arianespace.
The development program began in 1983 and the first successful launch was on
15 June 1988. The system has become the basis for European
satellite launch with a stellar record of 104 successful missions and only three launch failures. Ariane 4 provided a payload increase from 1700 kg for
Ariane 3 to a maximum of 4800 kg to
geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The record for Ariane 4 to GTO was 4946 kg.
The rocket was used in a number of variants - it could be fitted with two or four additional
solid or liquid fuelled
booster rockets. The launcher included a satellite payload carrier system called
Spelda (Structure Porteuse Externe pour Lancements Doubles Ariane) for launching more than one satellite at a time.
Ariane 4 AR 40 was the basic version, with three stages: 58.4 m high, a diameter of 3.8 m, a liftoff mass of 245 t and a maximum payload of 2100 kg to GTO or 5000 kg to
Low Earth orbit (LEO). Main power was from four Viking 5 motors each producing 667 kN of thrust; the second stage had a single Viking motor; and the third stage had an HM7 liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen motor. AR 44L, with the maximum additional boost of four liquid fuel rocket strap-ons, was four-stage, weighed 470 t and could transfer a payload of 4730 kg to GTO or 7600 kg to LEO.
Ariane 4 has accomplished more than 100 flights with a success rate of more than 96%.
Ariane 4 was phased out in favour of
Ariane 5, which can carry heavier payloads.The final launch was on
15 February,
2003, placing
Intelsat 907 into
geosynchronous orbit.
