Ariane 3

Ariane 3
Launch of first Ariane 3, flight V10, from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, on 4 August 1984, carrying ECS-2 and Telecom-1A satellites.
FunctionMedium launch vehicle
ManufacturerAérospatiale for
European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace
Size
Height49.13 m (161.2 ft)
Diameter3.8 m (12 ft)
Mass234,000 kg (516,000 lb)[1]
Stages3
Capacity
Payload to GTO
(200 km x 36,000 km at i=7 deg)
Mass2,700 kg (6,000 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyAriane
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sitesGuiana Space Centre ELA-1
Total launches11[2]
Success(es)10
Failure(s)1
First flight4 August 1984
Last flight12 July 1989
Boosters – SEP P7.35[3]
No. boosters2
Height8.32 m (27.3 ft)
Diameter1.07 m (3 ft 6 in)
Gross mass19.32 tonnes (42,600 lb)
Powered byP7
Maximum thrust1,260 kN (280,000 lbf)
Specific impulse2,314 N‑s/kg (236.0 s)
Burn time27 s
PropellantCTPB
First stage – L-140[3]
Height19.09 m (62.6 ft)
Diameter3.80 m (12.5 ft)
Gross mass165.89 tonnes (365,700 lb)
Powered byViking 5B
Maximum thrust2,580 kN (580,000 lbf)
Specific impulse2,376 N‑s/kg (242.3 s)
Burn time138 s
PropellantUH 25 / N2O4
Second stage – L-33[3]
Height11.47 m (37.6 ft)
Diameter2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Gross mass39.41 tonnes (86,900 lb)
Powered byViking 4B
Maximum thrust784.8 kN (176,400 lbf) (vacuum)
Specific impulse2,851 N‑s/kg (290.7 s)
Burn time128.9 s
PropellantUH 25 / N2O4
Third stage – H-10[3]
Height9.89 m (32.4 ft)
Diameter2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Gross mass12.74 tonnes (28,100 lb)
Powered byHM7B
Maximum thrust64.2 kN (14,400 lbf)
Specific impulse4,336 N‑s/kg (442.1 s)
Burn time729 s
PropellantLOX / LH2

Ariane 3 was a European expendable carrier rocket, which was used for eleven launches between 1984 and 1989. It was a member of the Ariane family of rockets. The principal manufacturer for the Ariane 3 was Aérospatiale, while the lead agency for its development was the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

Development of the Ariane 3 was authorised in July 1979, months prior to the Ariane 1's first flight. Drawing heavily upon both the design and infrastructure of the Ariane 1, the new launcher was concurrently developed alongside the Ariane 2, with which it shared much of its design. It represented an advancement of the Ariane 1 rather than a replacement, but was capable of lifting even heavier payloads into Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) as well as launching two satellites via one launch. Developed largely within a two year window, the Ariane 3 performed its maiden flight on 4 August 1984, actually flying in advance of its Ariane 2 sibling. During its brief service life, having performed its final launch on 12 July 1989, the Ariane family had become increasingly commercially competitive, becoming the market leading heavy launch vehicle in the world by the late 1980s.

  1. ^ Harvey, Brian. Europe's Space Programme: To Ariane and Beyond. Springer Science & Business Media, 2003. ISBN 1-8523-3722-2, pp. 518.
  2. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Ariane-3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ariane, Design(1)". www.b14643.de. b14643.de. Retrieved 2024-06-06.