Unpackaging an Ariane 6 launch campaign - Part 3

Preparing the passengers

In this third leg of our video tour around the inner workings of an Ariane 6 launch campaign, we are in the Ariane 6 Encapsulation Building, in the company of our Rocket Makers Stephan, Domenico and Marie-Anne, who tell us all about their work there in close collaboration with the Arianespace teams.

This building is so called because this is where the payloads, the precious passengers that Ariane 6 will take into space, are “encapsulated”, which means safely stowed, inside the fairing, the top part of the launcher.

The building was previously used for Ariane 5 and has been overhauled and repurposed for Ariane 6 payload integration activities. Here, the satellites are installed on the launch vehicle adaptor (LVA), the structure which connects the payloads with the launcher, then integrated inside the fairing, provided in two half shells which after a rigorous series of tests are sealed together. This ensemble constitutes the launcher’s upper composite. Inside the fairing the environment is scrupulously controlled in terms of temperature and ventilation. The passengers do not exit this safe housing until the fairing is jettisoned in space.

From the Encapsulation Building the entire upper composite is smoothly transferred by a special transport system to the launch zone where it is integrated onto Ariane 6.

Our ArianeGroup teams work hand in hand with their colleagues from Arianespace in this process, for the benefit of the customers and the launcher.