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UA3CR > SPACE 03.03.95 16:09l 50 Lines 2436 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: SPACE-ARIANE
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Sent: 950302/1918Z @:RK3KP.MSK.RUS.EU #:30249 [Moscow] FBB5.15c $:30249_RK3KP
From: UA3CR@RK3KP.MSK.RUS.EU
To : SPACE@EU
Ariane rocket launch delayed by 24 hours
CAYENNE, French Guiana, March 1 (Reuter) - The launch date
for the 71st Ariane rocket has been pushed back by a day to help
get a satellite of the Eutelsat European broadcast organisation
into a better orbit, local state-owned radio said on Wednesday.
Originally scheduled for March 14, the launch is now set for
March 15 to position the Eutelsat's satellite Hot Bird-1 better
in space.
The mission is also scheduled to launch Brasilsat B2 for
Brazil's national telecommunications agency Embratel.
Ariane rockets are launched from the European Space Agency's
(ESA) launch centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeast
coast of South America.
The Ariane programme was devastated in 1994 by two failures
linked to the rocket's delicate third-stage that burns a mixture
of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
In January 1994, after 26 straight successes, the 63rd
Ariane rocket carrying satellites for Eutelsat and Turkey's
telecommunications ministry were sent plunging into the Atlantic
ocean.
Launches were resumed in June, but halted when PanAmsat 3, a
U.S. communications satellite was also sent plunging into the
ocean off the coast of Gabon on December 1 during Ariane's 70th
flight.
Arianespace said a series of 21 corrective measures costing
over $8.0 million have been adopted to ensure the reliability of
the rocket. Third stage malfunctions have been responsible for
five of the seven Ariane failures since Western Europe started
launching the Ariane rocket series in 1979.
The company has captured over half of the world's satellite
launch market and has on order 37 satellites to be launched
worth over $3 billion.
American space shuttles no longer launch commercial
satellites, a decision made in 1986 after the explosion of
Challenger which led to the death of seven astronauts.
Arianespace president Charles Bigot said that his company
will make up the delay caused by 1994's failures.
``We believe we can make up the delay...that we will be able
to carry out 30 launches scheduled from January 1, 1994 to
January 1, 1997,'' Bigot said in a company publication.
Industry analysts said the cost of last year's Ariane
failures was over $500 million.
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