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Storable propellant stage.

An upper storable propellant stage is the last part of an Ariane 5 mission, sending the payload to its orbit injection point.

Of all the stages of the launcher, this one has the longest firing and running time. It is the only stage of Ariane 5 not to be fired for take-off, and can only function while the launcher is climbing into the atmosphere.

The Aestus upper stage engine runs on 9.7 metric tonnes of propellant (MMH fuel and N204 oxidiser).

There is no turbopump in the upper stage and the flow of fuel and oxidiser to the Aestus engine is created by helium pressurisation of the propellant tanks.

Aestus is a re-ignitable engine producing 29 kN of thrust during a nominal time of 1100 sec. It provides a specific thrust in a vacuum of 324 sec.

The Aestus engine mounted on a gimbal joint that controls direction. The gimbal joint is controlled by electric actuators that control pitch and yaw.

Storable propellant stage.

Storable propellant stage.


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