P120C
Closeup view of four P120s on an Ariane 6 mockup at ILA Berlin Air Show 2016 | |
| Manufacturer | Europropulsion |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Italy France European Union |
| Used on | Ariane 6 (Block 1) Vega C |
| Associated stages | |
| Derived from | P80FW |
| Derivatives | P160C |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Total launches | 8 |
| Successes (stage only) | 8 |
| First flight | 13 July 2022 |
| Technical details | |
| Height | 13.38 m (43 ft 11 in) |
| Diameter | 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) |
| Empty mass | 13,393 kg (29,527 lb) |
| Gross mass | 155,027 kg (341,776 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 141,634 kg (312,250 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 4,323 kN (972,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 279 s (2.74 km/s) |
| Burn time | 135.7 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB / AP / Al |
The P120C is a solid-fuel rocket motor developed for use as the first stage of the Vega-C launch vehicle and as strap-on boosters for the Ariane 6. It was developed by Europropulsion, a joint venture between Avio and ArianeGroup, for the European Space Agency (ESA). The designation "P120C" reflects key characteristics of the motor: "P" stands for poudre (French for 'powder'), referencing its solid propellant; "120" denoted the original target of 120 tonnes of propellant (later increased to nearly 142 tonnes); and "C" signifies its common use across multiple launch systems.
As of July 2022, the P120C is the world's largest and most powerful single-piece solid-fuel rocket motor, surpassing the earlier P80FW used on the original Vega launcher.