N° 39–1995: Completion of qualification testing on the Ariane-5 storable propellant stage

This test campaign, for which a "flight type" stage was used, began on 18 July 1995.
A total of 11 tests (two 1000 s tests and nine short or medium-duration tests lasting 10 s to 100 s) have been undertaken to simulate the various filling, pressurisation and burn-out configurations which the stage is likely to encounter in the course of the different missions Ariane-5 will be called upon to perform (geostationary transfer orbit, sun-synchronous orbit, low Earth orbit, reignition etc.).
The Storable Propellant Stage and the Aestus engine which powers it were developed by the German firm Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA).
The European Space Agency has delegated the management of its Ariane-5 programme to CNES, the French space agency.