416 S. Schmidt et al./ Acta Astronautica 55(2004)409-420 Fig. 13. Prepreg manufacture (on the left )and laminated stiffening ring(on the rig Fig. 12. Production of the Aestus nozzle structure by means of the winding technique at the Friedrichshafen Production Centre. duction and process techniques, production time was this tailor-made composite layup, the nozzle contour cut by approx. 30%. The first hot-firing test took place could be made so as to be near net shape as well as in the year 2000 weight-optimized. Fig. 12 illustrates how the fibres are laid up by means of the winding technique at the 3.3.2. Hot-firing test Friedrichshafen production centre Within the framework of the test programme, The loads occurring on launching the Ariane ne- funded in-house, the structural integrity of and the cessitate providing a stiffening ring at the end of the thermal load on the C/SiC nozzle extension were ver- nozzle. In contrast to the nozzle structure, the stiffen ified in a sine-load vibration and vacuum hot-firing ing ring was made by means of the prepreg technique. test. The test was performed on the DLrs P4.2 test Fig. 13 shows prepreg manufacture on the left-hand facility in Lampoldshausen in the year 2000 side, on the right-hand side the stiffening ring is shown The scheduled and realized test time amounted to on the layup tool. The ring and nozzle were joine 150 s at a combustion-chamber pressure of 1l bars and with a mixture ratio [O/F] of 2.05. Fig. 14 shows Since development was launched, altogether 5 noz- on the left-hand side the integrated ceramic nozzle on zle hardware units have been made applying the LPI the P4.2 and on the right-hand side during the vacuum process. Thanks to continuous optimization of the pro-416 S. Schmidt et al. /Acta Astronautica 55 (2004) 409 – 420 Fig. 12. Production of the Aestus nozzle structure bymeans of the winding technique at the Friedrichshafen Production Centre. this tailor-made composite layup, the nozzle contour could be made so as to be near net shape as well as weight-optimized. Fig. 12 illustrates how the 3bres are laid up bymeans of the winding technique at the Friedrichshafen Production Centre. The loads occurring on launching the Ariane ne￾cessitate providing a sti;ening ring at the end of the nozzle. In contrast to the nozzle structure, the sti;en￾ing ring was made bymeans of the prepreg technique. Fig. 13 shows prepreg manufacture on the left-hand side, on the right-hand side the sti;ening ring is shown on the layup tool. The ring and nozzle were joined subsequently. Since development was launched, altogether 5 noz￾zle hardware units have been made applying the LPI process. Thanks to continuous optimization of the pro￾Fig. 13. Prepreg manufacture (on the left) and laminated sti;ening ring (on the right). duction and process techniques, production time was cut byapprox. 30%. The 3rst hot-3ring test took place in the year 2000. 3.3.2. Hot-4ring test Within the framework of the test programme, funded in-house, the structural integrityof and the thermal load on the C/SiC nozzle extension were ver￾i3ed in a sine-load vibration and vacuum hot-3ring test. The test was performed on the DLRs P4.2 test facilityin Lampoldshausen in the year 2000. The scheduled and realized test time amounted to 150 s at a combustion-chamber pressure of 11 bars and with a mixture ratio [O=F] of 2.05. Fig. 14 shows on the left-hand side the integrated ceramic nozzle on the P4.2 and on the right-hand side during the vacuum test