Vulcain 2
Snecma-led Vulcain 2 is a cryogenic liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen main-stage engine for Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES. ESA describes it as an improved Vulcain with a gas generator, oxygen and hydrogen turbopumps, a redesigned nozzle extension, and a 20% thrust increase over the original Vulcain. The Vulcain-2 technical table records 1,350 kN vacuum thrust, 433 s specific impulse, a 6.10 mixture ratio, and 1,935 kg mass.
Identity
- Aliases
- Vulcain 2Vulcain-2Vulcain 2 engineSnecma Vulcain 2
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- variant
- Kind
- liquid-rocket-engine
- Name
- Vulcain 2
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- Snecma-led Vulcain 2 is a cryogenic liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen main-stage engine for Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES. ESA describes it as an improved Vulcain with a gas generator, oxygen and hydrogen turbopumps, a redesigned nozzle extension, and a 20% thrust increase over the original Vulcain. The Vulcain-2 technical table records 1,350 kN vacuum thrust, 433 s specific impulse, a 6.10 mixture ratio, and 1,935 kg mass.
- Dry Mass Kg
- 1,935
- Family
- Manufacturers
- Propellants
- liquid hydrogenliquid oxygen
- Rocket Specs
- Chamber Count
- 1
- Cycle
- gas-generator
- Vacuum Specific Impulse S
- 433
- Vacuum Thrust Kn
- 1,350
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 29, 2026 at 09:07:57 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 23, 2026 at 10:05:47 UTC
Other
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-07-29
- Note
- Supports the canonical Ariane 5 ECA installation and Vulcain 2 identity.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Ariane 5 ECA
- Accessed Date
- 2026-07-29
- Note
- Supports the canonical Ariane 5 ES installation and Vulcain 2 identity.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Ariane 5 ES
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-15
- Note
- ESA describes Vulcain 2 as a 20%-higher-thrust modification of Vulcain with higher operating pressure, a 20% higher liquid-oxygen mixture ratio, a 13,000-rpm oxygen turbopump, and redesigned nozzle/nozzle extension; it records full industrial production for Ariane 5 ECA and ES.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Vulcain 2 engine now in full production
- Accessed Date
- 2026-07-29
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Hot fire: Ariane 6 ready to rumble
- Accessed Date
- 2026-07-29
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Ariane launch log 1996 to 2023
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-20
- Note
- ESA Bulletin 102 table lists 1,350 kN vacuum thrust, 433 s specific impulse, and 1,935 kg mass for the Vulcain-2 cryogenic engine.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Vulcain-2 Cryogenic Engine Passes First
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-23
- Note
- Safran states that SNECMA was renamed Safran Aircraft Engines in 2016 and identifies the Vulcain engine as developed by SNECMA; this supports the current Safran Aircraft Engines relationship for the historical SNECMA-led Vulcain 2 record.
- Publisher
- Safran
- Title
- The Story of Safran Aircraft Engines – from 1945 to 2005