European launch vehicle scenario for future small satellites

Antonio G.Accettura, Serge Chartoire, Claude Berna

ARIANESPACE

blv.de l'Europe, 91006 Evry - Courcouronnes, FRANCE

This paper will present the European launch capability to serve the market of small satellites. Since small satellites are no more a mere technological bench but a complete mission with autonomous operational capabilities, there is a huge importance to address the selection of a launch vehicle from the conception of the mission, in order to make the best choice according to technical and programmatic constraints. In this hot context Europe will play a leading role thanks to its capability to merge all the ingredients of a mission success, which are: a fleet of launchers capable to perform any kind of mission (Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega); a technical competence accomplished by the experience; a capacity to handle and manage operational launchers. Particularly both technical and operational issues will be depicted and, among the others, the following subjects will be presented: payload and mission capabilities (with special focus on SSO); payload volume and accommodation; launch interface standards; launch preparation and integration phases; launch operations process. Finally, an overview of both advantages and added values associated to the three launchers will be shown.

This paper will consider three interacting factors in the frame of the European access to space domain: small satellites, launch capability, and solutions to meet each other.

First factor: nowadays small satellites can perform a wide range of missions, from science to Earth observation, from technology demo to exploration. We are far away from the time when small satellites were associated to amateurs or to student's work. The evolution has been possible thanks to some factors capable to evolve small satellites into complete missions: an available miniaturisation, an available launch offer and the increased experience of satellite manufacturers.

In synthesis, today the word "small" for a satellite refers only to geometrical size, the satellite itself refers to a complete mission, well capable to compete with a big one.

Second factor: the European Ministers' Council resolution of December 2005 has once more recognized the importance of the European access to space, saying that ESA member states will use European vehicles (Ariane 5, Vega and Soyuz) to launch their spacecrafts once they begin operations from French Guyana. It is worth to note that, even if the first launch of Soyuz from Kourou will be in 2008, Soyuz is currently operated by Starsem, of which Arianespace is affiliated, through operations in Baikonur, Russia.

Third factor: the European fleet of launchers is capable to put any mass to any orbit at any time. The single operator of this fleet is Arianespace and the main aim of this paper is to show the unique synergy in merging satellites need and launch vehicle availability.

Small satellites have now enough technological maturity and capacity to accomplish a complete mission, even ambitious, despite their reduced mass. On such a context launch vehicles are even less a marginal phase of the whole mission, but a dedicated activity which requires experience and capability. Arianespace, with more than 25 years experience and a fleet of 3 different launchers, can offer the "any mass to any orbit at any time" approach and then solutions for all satellites, including the small one.

As regard Vega, we are performing a close work with ESA in order to match both needs and launch flexibility. Moreover 5 flights are under negotiation in the frame of the VERTA program and feasibilities studies have been contracted by ESA to Arianespace.

Soyuz has performed so many flights that it does not needs promotion, it will continue to do that even from Kourou. Commercial services already started and both Vega and Soyuz are available to satisfy satellites' need.

Finally, Ariane 5 is capable to perform any kind of mission regardless to satellite complexity.

As concern mission success philosophy, we are implementing the idea of customisation of the launch vehicle, which means that the flexibility of the launcher can be considered as the true added value to the mission. To materialise that, we are working, in cooperation with the final user, to define the best solution and the best strategy for a given satellite to accomplish the final orbit. In fact, within the frame of VERTA missions, it is possible to see that each satellite is peculiar in its own needs and characteristics. Tomorrow will be the same, so this kind of self-adaptation flexibility will be the key to success for most of small satellites (and not only).