European Launcher Development Organisation

The European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) is a former European space research organization. It was first developed in order to establish a satellite launch vehicle for Europe. The three-stage rocket developed was named Europa, after the mythical Greek god. Overall, there were 10 launches that occurred under ELDO’s funding. The organization consisted of Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Australia was an associate member of the organization. Initially, the launch site was in Woomera, Australia, but was later moved to the French site Kourou, in French Guiana. The program was created to replace the Blue Streak Missile Program after its cancellation in 1960. In 1974, after an unsuccessful satellite launch, the program was merged with the European Space Research Organisation to form the European Space Agency.

After the failure to launch of Britain’s Blue Streak Missile, Britain wished to use its finished space launch parts in order to cut losses. In 1961, Britain and France announced that they would be working together on a launcher that would be capable of sending a one-ton satellite into space. This cooperation was later drafted into the Convention of the European Launcher Development Organization, which Italy, Belgium, West Germany, the Netherlands and Australia would join. Australia, although not a part of Britain, as a member of the British Commonwealth and wartime ally, provided a sparsely populated missile launcher testing and development site at Woomera, South Australia. The original intent of this organization was to develop a space program exclusively for Europe, excluding the UN or any outside country.

The initial plans for the rocket were proposed in 1962. The rocket created was called the ELDO-A, later renamed Europa-1. It measured 31.7 m in length and weighed more than 110 tons. Europa-1 was planned to put a payload of 1000–1200 kg into a 500 km circular orbit above earth. The three stages consisted of the Blue Streak stage, the French Coralie stage, and the German stage. The first stage, the Blue Streak stage, was to fire for 160 seconds after launch. The second stage, the French Coralie stage, fired for the following 103 seconds. The third and final stage, the German stage, fired for an extra 361 seconds to launch the rocket into Earth’s lower orbit. In June 1964, the first stage began to be built in Woomera. By the middle of 1966, ELDO decided to change Europa-1 from a three-stage launcher into a four-stage launcher that was capable of placing a satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Following this decision, in 1969, many unsuccessful launches of Europa-1 and the resignation of Britain and Italy prompted a reconsideration of ideas. In 1970, ELDO was forced to cancel the Europa-1 program. By late 1970, the plans for Europa-2 were created. Europa-2 was a similarly designed rocket with an extra stage added in. The funding for Europa-2 was supplied 90% by France and Germany. On November 5, 1971, Europa-2 was launched for the first time, but unsuccessfully. The failure of the rocket led to the consideration of a Europa-3 rocket design. However, Europa-3 was never created and the lack of funding prompted the merging of the European Launcher Development Organisation and the European Space Research Organization to form the European Space Agency.

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