Safety on ground operations on Ariane 6 Launch System

Abstract

Ariane 6 is the next heavy European launch system of the Ariane family under development. The ground tests operations have started, combining the Launcher System and Launch Base elements. Those Combined Tests are the Flight Model 0 campaign of Ariane 6, aiming to provide a sound basis to enter in the launch campaign from Flight Model 1 onwards. Building on the expertise acquired with Ariane 5 and on years of feedback from its customers, the project has been developed based on the State of the Art; and Ariane 6 combines innovations allied with the unparalleled reliability of the Ariane family.Safety is key when it comes to managing risks in space. Safety engineering carries out a launch campaign where people, assets, environment are protected against hazardous scenarios anytime on ground and in flight. The Dependability (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability) and Safety methodology involves a series of project milestones which ensure that the progress of development meets all the conditions necessary for attaining the objectives throughout the overall development phase.This paper describes how the Safety is ensured, focusing on ground operations, considering the challenges the Ariane 6 project has faced in the frame of the construction of the completely new Launch Pad, allied to the additional flexibility and versatility options proposed at Launcher System level to guarantee a competitive access to space and provide multiple adaptations depending on the mission.