P80 is a
solid-fuel first-stage
rocket motor
A rocket engine uses stored rocket propellants as the reaction mass for forming a high-speed propulsive jet of fluid, usually high-temperature gas. Rocket engines are reaction engines, producing thrust by ejecting mass rearward, in accordance ...
used on the
European Space Agency
, owners =
, headquarters = Paris, Île-de-France, France
, coordinates =
, spaceport = Guiana Space Centre
, seal = File:ESA emblem seal.png
, seal_size = 130px
, image = Views in the Main Control Room (1205 ...
Vega rocket
Vega ( it, Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata, or french: Vecteur européen de génération avancée, or en, European Vector of Advanced Generation, meaning "Advanced generation European carrier rocket") is an expendable launch system in ...
(in the P80FW version). It is the world's largest and most powerful one-piece solid-fuel rocket engine.
History
The P80's development was led by a joint team of
ESA
, owners =
, headquarters = Paris, Île-de-France, France
, coordinates =
, spaceport = Guiana Space Centre
, seal = File:ESA emblem seal.png
, seal_size = 130px
, image = Views in the Main Control Room (1205 ...
,
CNES and
ASI since 2005, with
Avio selected as the prime contractor.
The first test of the P80 engine was completed at
Centre Spatial Guyanais
The Guiana Space Centre (french: links=no, Centre spatial guyanais; CSG), also called Europe's Spaceport, is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located approximatel ...
in November 2006 followed by qualification tests in December 2007.
The first launch was completed on 13 February 2012,
with the first commercial launch following on 7 May 2012.
Total development cost of the engine reached €76 million.
Overview
P80FW is a single monolithic solid rocket motor propelled by
hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) is an oligomer of butadiene terminated at each end with a hydroxyl functional group. It reacts with isocyanates to form polyurethane polymers.
HTPB is a translucent liquid with a color similar to wax paper a ...
which burns for 114 seconds and is jettisoned at an altitude of 53 km after achieving a relative speed of 1.7 km/s.
The engine shares specifications with
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is a European heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed and operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency (ESA). It is launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) in French Guiana. It has been used to deliver payloads int ...
solid rocket booster
A solid rocket booster (SRB) is a large solid propellant motor used to provide thrust in spacecraft launches from initial launch through the first ascent. Many launch vehicles, including the Atlas V, SLS and space shuttle, have used SRBs to give ...
s - it has the same 3 meter diameter and similar height to the largest segments of the booster. This allows using the same facilities and equipment at the Guiana Propellant Plant for loading the propellant and transporting the engine to the launch site. The nozzle of the P80 is also a direct evolution of the one used in Ariane 5 boosters.
The manufacture process is divided among several European companies. Italian
Avio manufactures the main motor case loaded with fuel, performs integration of the components, and final testing. French-Italian Europropulsion manufactures the P80 motor while Regulus performs propellant loading. Aerospace Propulsion Products B.V. from
Netherlands
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, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
builds the igniter. Belgian
SABCA
SABCA (Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques) is a Belgian aerospace company. Its main sectors of activity are civil aviation, space and defence.
SABCA was established during 1920. Presently, it is owned by the French aircraf ...
produces components for
thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also known as thrust vector control (TVC), is the ability of an aircraft, rocket, or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine(s) or motor(s) to control the attitude or angular velocity of the v ...
and the staging skirt. French
Herakles manufactures the engine nozzle.
Related development
P120C
The
P120C a wider version of the engine with increased propellant mass to 143.6 tons, is in development for use as
Ariane 6 boosters and
Vega C
Vega ( it, Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata, or french: Vecteur européen de génération avancée, or en, European Vector of Advanced Generation, meaning "Advanced generation European carrier rocket") is an expendable launch system in ...
first stage. In 2022, an extended P120C+ version was proposed.
''ESA-developed P120C solid rocket motor enters production'' April 2022
/ref>
See also
* P120 (rocket stage)
* Zefiro (rocket stage)
Zefiro is a family of solid-fuel rocket motors developed by Avio and used on the European Space Agency Vega rocket. The name Zefiro derives from the acronym ZEro FIrst stage ROcket, conceived when this motor was intended to be used as first ...
* Solid rocket
A solid-propellant rocket or solid rocket is a rocket with a rocket engine that uses solid propellants
Rocket propellant is the reaction mass of a rocket. This reaction mass is ejected at the highest achievable velocity from a rocket engine ...
* Vega (rocket)
References
{{Rocket engines
Rocket stages
Solid-fuel rockets