Research and Test Infrastructure

Upper Stage Test Stand P5.2

Flexible, adaptable and cost-efficient

The highly complex and extremely powerful P5.2 upper stage test stand is the latest test stand at DLR in Lampoldshausen and completes the portfolio of the DLR test site with its ability to qualify entire upper stages. The test stand was developed and built as part of the development of the future European launcher Ariane 6 on behalf of the European Space Agency ESA.

Video: Hot run test of the Ariane 6 upper stage at DLR in Lampoldshausen
With the successful test on September 1, 2023 at DLR in Lampoldshausen, the newly designed upper stage of Ariane 6 has taken an important step towards qualification and first launch. With two ignitions of the Vinci engine and two ignitions of the APU, a highly complex requirement profile was mapped on the P5.2 test stand.
Credit:
ESA/ArianeGroup/DLR - Hill Media 2023

Areas of application

Low-pressure test bench for testing entire upper stages under ground conditions with the engine running
Fueling and defueling tests of cryogenic upper stages

Fuels
Liquid hydrogen	maximum 2.7 kilograms per second
Liquid oxygen	maximum 10.3 kilograms per second

Number of test positions

one test position

Current test object

The P5.2 test stand was specially designed and built by DLR to test the Upper Liquide Propulsion Module (ULPM) of the Ariane 6 upper stage. The upper stage consists of the Vinci engine, which can be ignited several times, the tanks for liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, pipes, valves and the electronic and hydraulic monitoring and control systems.

Facts & Figures

Building
Surface area	5.000 Quadratmeter
Length	35 meters
Width	45 meters
Height	30 meters

Test cell
Width	14 meters
Depth	14 meters
Height	24 meters
Maximum thrust	250 kilonewtons
Firing axis	Vertical

Supply
Helium (expandable)	8 cubic meters
Nitrogen (expandable)	40 cubic meters
Liquid oxygen (from P5)	180 cubic meters
Liquid hydrogen (from P5)	600 cubic meters
Measurement signal acquisition	about 1,000

Financing

The test stand is financed from the German ESA contributions to the Ariane 6 development program. The DLR Space Agency is responsible for providing and coordinating these funds on behalf of the German government.