N° 43–1994: Completion of separation tests on Ariane-5 fairing
22 November 1994
The last in-vacuo separation test on the Ariane-5 fairing took place on 17 November 1994 in the vacuum chamber at NASA's Plum-Brook station (a specialised facility able to scope with the size of the test specimen).
The purpose of this test campaign, comprising three tests in all, was to validate in-vacuo separation of the Ariane-5 fairing fitted with its internal acoustic protection (designed to secure satellites against the effects of the acoustic environment on lift-off) under representative flight conditions.
The Ariane-5 fairing, with a diameter of 5.40 m and a height of 12.7 m, is being developed by the Swiss firm OERLIKON- CONTRAVES.
Ariane-5 is a European Space Agency programme whose management has been delegated to CNES, the French Space Agency.