Ariane 6's Upper Stage Faces Fiery Trial

The European Space Agency (ESA) conducted a successful test of the upper stage engines for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle, simulating their operation at a German aerospace agency's test center. The Vinci engine, which is fed by liquid hydrogen and oxygen, can be stopped and restarted multiple times to place satellites into different orbits and de-orbit the upper stage. The smaller Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) enables the Vinci engine to restart in space by maintaining fuel tank pressure and preventing bubbles in the fuel lines. Ariane 6 is an all-new design aimed at succeeding the Ariane 5 as Europe's heavy-lift launch system, supporting Europe's vision of space-enabled navigation, Earth observation, scientific, and security services.