6/09/2024 – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Ariane 6 successfully lifts off with photonics on board! An inaugural flight from the Guiana Space Centre on 9 July 2024, bringing to fruition the programme launched in 2014 by the European Space Agency (ESA) to maintain its independent access to space.
As prime contractor for the programme, the ESA has entrusted ArianeGroup with the design and integration of the Ariane 6 launcher, as well as its commercialisation via its subsidiary Arianespace. This new launcher will be used to launch several satellites for major constellations, including scientific satellites, Galileo positioning satellites and Earth observation satellites into low or medium orbit. CNES has also been entrusted with project management for the development of ground facilities in French Guiana, including the construction of a new launch pad and improvements to the existing base.
The rocket’s engines were ignited by the power of lasers transmitted by optical fibres. The Photonic Systems team at the Institut Foton in Lannion played a key role in this, contributing to the characterisation of the optical fibres, fitted with opto-pyrotechnic connectors.
Mathilde Gay, a CNRS engineer in charge of the Persyst platform, and Monique Thual, Professor at the University of Rennes and head of the Photonic Systems team at the Institut Foton, have trained engineers from ArianeGroup and CNES in the characterisation of optical fibres using a device that measures reflectivity with very high spatial accuracy (a few tens of µm) and very high dynamic range (100 dB). This means that very small reflections can be measured with very high accuracy.
A special mention goes to Thibault Kerrien, a Photonics Bretagne work-study student in 2021-2022 and a Photonics* graduate of ENSSAT in 2022, who is a member of the ArianeGroup. His mission was to carry out tests on optical equipment that has been integrated into the launcher.
*Also graduated from a DUT in Physical Measurements at the IUT in Lannion in 2018.
