# Ariane 42P

> rocket in the Ariane 4 series

**Wikidata**: [Q9159559](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9159559)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ariane-42p

## Summary
The Ariane 42P was a medium-lift expendable launch vehicle in the Ariane 4 series, developed by Aérospatiale and operated by Arianespace. It was capable of delivering payloads to both low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit, with a gross mass of 339,000 kilograms and a height of 58.4 meters.

## Key Facts
- **Instance of**: Rocket model
- **Part of**: Ariane 4 series
- **Subclass of**: Expendable launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle
- **Manufacturer**: Aérospatiale
- **Operator**: Arianespace
- **Country of origin**: France
- **Gross mass**: 339,000 kilograms
- **Height**: 58.4 meters
- **Diameter**: 3.8 meters (PAP-12)
- **Maximum thrust**: 4,135 kilonewtons
- **Payload capacity**:
  - 6,600 kg to low Earth orbit
  - 2,890 kg to geostationary transfer orbit
- **First flight**: November 20, 1990
- **Last flight**: May 4, 2002
- **Launch site**: ELA-2 (European Spaceport, Kourou)
- **Components**:
  - PAP-12 (payload fairing)
  - L220 (first stage)
  - L33B (second stage)
  - H10 (third stage)

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Ariane 42P used for?
A: The Ariane 42P was used to launch satellites into low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit, including communications, Earth observation, and scientific satellites.

### Q: How many Ariane 42P rockets were launched?
A: The Ariane 42P had 11 successful launches between 1990 and 2002, with no failures recorded.

### Q: What were the key payloads launched by Ariane 42P?
A: Notable payloads included Kitsat-1, TOPEX/Poseidon, SPOT-5, and several communications satellites like Telkom 1 and INSAT-2E.

### Q: How does the Ariane 42P compare to other Ariane 4 variants?
A: The Ariane 42P was a medium-lift variant with a PAP-12 fairing, offering higher payload capacity than the Ariane 40 or 42L but less than the Ariane 44L or 44LP.

### Q: Why was the Ariane 42P retired?
A: The Ariane 42P was retired in 2002 as part of the Ariane 4 program's phase-out, replaced by the more advanced Ariane 5.

## Why It Matters
The Ariane 42P played a crucial role in Europe's space program during the 1990s and early 2000s, providing reliable access to space for a variety of scientific and commercial missions. Its ability to deliver payloads to both low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit made it a versatile workhorse in the Ariane 4 family. The rocket's successful launches, including those of the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite, which mapped ocean surface topography, demonstrated its reliability and versatility. The retirement of the Ariane 42P marked the end of an era for Europe's launch vehicle fleet, paving the way for the more advanced Ariane 5.

## Notable For
- **First commercial launch**: The Ariane 42P's first flight on November 20, 1990, successfully deployed the Kitsat-1 amateur radio satellite.
- **Oceanography mission**: Launched the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite in 1992, a joint NASA/CNES mission to study ocean surface topography.
- **Earth observation**: Deployed the SPOT-5 satellite in 2002, contributing to Earth observation and environmental monitoring.
- **Communications satellites**: Successfully placed multiple communications satellites, including Telkom 1 for Indonesia and INSAT-2E for India.
- **Reliability**: Achieved 100% success rate across 11 launches, reinforcing its reputation as a dependable launch vehicle.

## Body
### Overview
The Ariane 42P was a member of the Ariane 4 rocket family, developed by Aérospatiale and operated by Arianespace. It was designed as a medium-lift launch vehicle capable of delivering payloads to both low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit. The rocket's configuration included a PAP-12 payload fairing, an L220 first stage, an L33B second stage, and an H10 third stage.

### Specifications
- **Gross mass**: 339,000 kg
- **Height**: 58.4 meters
- **Diameter**: 3.8 meters (PAP-12 fairing)
- **Maximum thrust**: 4,135 kN
- **Payload capacity**:
  - 6,600 kg to low Earth orbit
  - 2,890 kg to geostationary transfer orbit

### Launch History
- **First flight**: November 20, 1990, successfully deploying the Kitsat-1 satellite.
- **Last flight**: May 4, 2002, launching the SPOT-5 satellite.
- **Total launches**: 11 successful missions.

### Notable Payloads
- **Kitsat-1**: First commercial launch, an amateur radio satellite.
- **TOPEX/Poseidon**: Joint NASA/CNES mission to map ocean surface topography.
- **SPOT-5**: Earth observation satellite for environmental monitoring.
- **Telkom 1**: Indonesian communications satellite.
- **INSAT-2E**: Indian communications satellite.

### Retirement
The Ariane 42P was retired in 2002 as part of the Ariane 4 program's phase-out, replaced by the more advanced Ariane 5. Its successful track record and contributions to scientific and commercial space missions solidified its legacy in Europe's space launch history.

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  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Ariane 42P",
  "description": "A medium-lift expendable launch vehicle in the Ariane 4 series, capable of delivering payloads to low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit.",
  "additionalType": "RocketModel",
  "manufacturer": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Aérospatiale"
  },
  "operator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Arianespace"
  },
  "countryOfOrigin": {
    "@type": "Country",
    "name": "France"
  },
  "dateCreated": "1990-11-20",
  "dateDiscontinued": "2002-05-04",
  "payloadCapacity": [
    {
      "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
      "value": "6600",
      "unitText": "kilograms",
      "description": "Low Earth orbit"
    },
    {
      "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
      "value": "2890",
      "unitText": "kilograms",
      "description": "Geostationary transfer orbit"
    }
  ],
  "height": {
    "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
    "value": "58.4",
    "unitText": "meters"
  },
  "width": {
    "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
    "value": "3.8",
    "unitText": "meters"
  },
  "weight": {
    "@type": "QuantitativeValue",
    "value": "339000",
    "unitText": "kilograms"
  }
}

## References

1. [Source](http://www.astronautix.com/a/ariane42p.html)
2. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/ariane.htm)