An Ariane-5 solid rocket motor (MPS) was test fired on the booster teststand (BEAP) at the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport in Kourou, under the Ariane-5 Research and Technology Accompaniment programme, earlier this week.

ARTA-5 is a European Space Agency programme, the technical and financial management of which is delegated to CNES. Its objectives are to verify that Ariane-5 launcher qualification, reliability and performance levels are maintained and also to qualify modifications resulting from obsolescence or changes in technology. ARTA activities cover the solid rocket motors built by Europropulsion.

This motor test will serve to qualify Ariane-5 improvements designed to increase launcher lift-capability and get production costs down. Overall planning for the test is built around four main objectives: qualify new procurement sources for one constituent of the propellant, involve use of Amonium Perchlorate produced by the US company Wecco, evaluate the effect of ageing and analyse behaviour on an over 6-year-old rear booster's segment (S3).

Other objectives targeted under this test involve simplifying the boosters' electric ducts and reducing the number of high-pressure capacities needed for each booster's thrust vector control from two to one. Responsibility for conducting the test has been assigned to CNES, whose role covers stand deployment, supplying the test facilities and conducting operations with Arianespace's assistance.