Development status of the VINCI engine for the Ariane 5 upper stage

摘要

The intent of this publication is to provide an overview of the progress of the VINCI development at mid 2005. The VINCI engine is a cryogenic upper stage engine. It is a high Isp , 18 tons thrust engine which provides multiple firing capability and therefore the potential to perform a broad array of missions. The VINCI program is managed by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French Space Agency, by delegation of the European Space Agency. The VINCI engine is a cryogenic expander cycle engine combining the required features of this cycle, i.e. high performance chamber cooling and high performance hydrogen turbopump, with proven design concepts based on the accumulated experience from previous European cryogenic engines such as the HM7 and the Vulcain. The publication will focus on the major achievements of the 2004-2005 period, i.e. the completion of the component and engine subsystem test program and the results of the engine tests for the first development engine. The first engine test campaign started in the first quarter of 2005 and extends over the first half of 2005 with objective pertaining to engine chill-down , start-up and shut-down sequence adjustment.