The re-ignitable Vinci engine, which will power the upper stage of the Ariane 6 launcher, has successfully completed two subsystem qualification campaigns.
The re-ignitable Vinci engine, which will power the upper stage of the Ariane 6 launcher, has successfully completed two subsystem qualification campaigns (designated M6 and M7) which included 140 engine tests.
The tests in campaigns M6 and M7, which are vital for qualification of engine subsystems, were carried out on the PF52 bench at the ArianeGroup site in Vernon, France, and on the German Aerospace Center DLR's P4.1 bench in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
A total of 25 tests (16 for M6 and 9 for M7) were carried out under nominal conditions. They included three major achievements:
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a test of 1,569 seconds,
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a series of 20 successful boosts (one ignition followed by 19 re-ignitions), totalling an operating duration of 300 seconds,
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a continuous burn of 800 seconds in "high operation", i.e. at maximum design thrust.
The tests pushed the engine beyond its operational requirements, as it will require ignition a maximum of four times during its missions, with a maximum burn time of 900 seconds in flight.
This latest success follows the first successful test of the Vulcain 2.1 engine which will power the launcher's main stage, on 13th January in Lampoldshausen, Germany.