Manufacturers
Regulus
In its 30 years of existence, the production plant in French Guiana has produced more than 50,000 tonnes of propellant.
A subsidiary of Avio, Regulus produces and casts propellant for Ariane 5 and Vega engines. The company is also responsible for the production of this combustion product for Ariane 6 and Vega-C.
Regulus prepares the fuel at the Usine de Propergol de Guyane (Guiana propellant plant). Initially, the fuel is prepared as a paste. This is then poured into the launcher’s booster, where it will “bake” for 10 days at 50 °C to become solid.
Europropulsion
One of the two solid rocket boosters on Ariane 5, more commonly known as the booster.
Europropulsion, a subsidiary of ArianeGroup and Avio, manufactures the solid rocket boosters that propel Ariane 5 and Vega at lift-off. The company will also manufacture the boosters for Ariane 6 and Vega-C.
At the Booster Integration Building, Europropulsion teams stack the three propellant-filled segments to form a solid rocket booster.
Ninety per cent of Ariane 5’s thrust comes from the solid rocket boosters (EAP), which deliver 1,200 tonnes of thrust at lift-off.
Air Liquide spatial Guyane
Present in French Guiana since 1968, Air Liquide Spatiale Guyane produces and supplies all the fluids for the space base: nitrogen, helium and compressed air, but also liquid oxygen and hydrogen. Air Liquide is also responsible for the maintenance of all the equipment that transports the fluids from the plants to the launch pad from which the rockets are launched.
The liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks are transported to the launch zone on special trailers and are connected to the Ariane 5 launcher via pipelines.