 Astris, the third (upper) stage of the Europa I rocket, on display in Pfaffenwaldring 31 (V 31) on the campus of University of Stuttgart in Vaihingen, Stuttgart, Germany. | |
| Manufacturer | ERNO Raumfahrttechnik GmbH |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Used on | Europa 1 third stage. |
| General characteristics | |
| Height | 3.36 m (132 in) |
| Diameter | 2.00 m (79 in) |
| Gross mass | 3,370 kg (7,430 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 2,760 kg (6,080 lb) |
| Empty mass | 610 kg (1,340 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Total launches | 4 |
| Successes (stage only) | 0 |
| Failed | 4 |
| Lower stage failed | 0 |
| First flight | 1969-07-31 |
| Last flight | 1971-11-05 |
| Engine details | |
| Powered by | 1 Astris (rocket engine) |
| Maximum thrust | 23.3 kilonewtons (5,200 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 310 s (3.0 km/s) |
| Burn time | 330s |
| Propellant | Aerozine 50 / N2O4 |
The Astris was an upper stage developed by ERNO Raumfahrttechnik GmbH and MBB as the third stage of the Europa 1 launch vehicle.[1][2][3] It was the German contribution to the project and only flew activated four times. The high failure rate of the three and four stage rocket meant that the project was cancelled.[4][5]
On November 29, 1968, its inaugural flight, the Astris third stage exploded.[6][7] On the second attempt on July 1969, the Astris engine failed to start.[6][7] On the third attempt on June 11, 1970, the stage performed correctly, but the fairing failed to separate.[7][6]
On November 5, 1971, the Europa II launched from CSG ELA-1, had a mishap due to structural failure of the third stage.[8][9] After this last failure the project was definitely cancelled.[8]
