Avio. P120C Engine – Part 2

18.07.2018

11,263 Less than a minute

The P120C – the largest monolithic carbon-fiber solid rocket motor (SRM) in the world – is loaded with 142 tons of propellant and it will equip the boosters of both Ariane 62 and Ariane 64 and the Vega-C first stage ; 35 motors to be produced annually.

Necessary rock studies of the gabbro and andesite basalt groups for the suitability as the raw material base for the production of continuous basalt fiber (CBF). A unique technique including laboratory melting and pilot-industrial melting at the high-tech equipment.

The solid rocket motor consists of two principal parts:

– The first is the structural casing, built by Avio and made of carbon fiber (filament-winding, automated fabric layup pre-impregnated epoxy sheets).

-The second part is the nozzle, built by ArianeGroup and made of various composite materials, including carbon/carbon.

The P120C, co-developed by ArianeGroup and Avio, on behalf of their 50/50 joint venture Europropulsion. The program for the development of Ariane 6 and Vega-C was decided on at the European Space Agency (ESA) Ministerial Council in 2014.