Ariane 5 fairing separation system undergoes testing

An Ariane 5 fairing underwent separation tests on 20 June 2012 to help improve the ride to orbit provided by Europe’s heavy launcher for its passengers.

The new HSS-3+ horizontal separation system was tested in the world’s largest vacuum chamber at NASA’s Glenn Research Plum Brook in Sandusky, USA, and will reduce stress on the payload by a factor of about 100.