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ZL2VAL > SPACE 13.07.01 16:16l 78 Lines 3268 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 5981-ZL2VAL
Read: GUEST DK3EL
Subj: Ariane-5 fails to achieve objective
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Sent: 010713/1047Z @:ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC #:48529 [New Plymouth] FBB7.00g $:5981-ZL
From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : SPACE@WW
[¯¯¯ TST HOST 1.43c, UTC diff:-12, Local time: Fri Jul 13 22:53:29 2001 ®®®]
Ariane 5 Fails to Deliver Satellites Into a Proper Orbit
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer
Cape Canaveral Bureau
posted: 07:45 pm ET
12 July 2001
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- An experimental communications satellite for the
European Space Agency (ESA) and a Japanese direct broadcast television
satellite are circling Earth in a useless orbit thanks to a botched
Ariane 5 launch from South America on Thursday.
Estimated loss in hardware alone: $1 billion.
Arianespace chief Jean-Marie Luton revealed the bad news almost an hour
after the 5:58 p.m. EDT (2158 GMT) launch from the Guiana Space Center,
saying through a translator, "We did not obtain the desired orbits for
the satellites" because of a "defect in the propellant on the last
stage."
"We're doing all we can to try and recover the satellites and see what
kind of operations are possible to rectify this," Luton said.
All indications during the 35-minute mission were that the launch was
right on track. First the Artemis satellite for ESA was released and then
the Japanese BSAT-2B spacecraft separated. News of spacecraft separation
was greeted with applause and cheers.
At this point it is the Arianespace tradition for all senior managers
involved with the flight to gather at a podium and address the invited
guests gathered at the Jupiter control center near Kourou, French Guiana.
Instead, the launch team remained seated, as did the guests, while the
managers stood close to each other.
Views broadcast by Arianespace's satellite coverage of the launch showed
deep concern on faces throughout the room, and as the delay in the
post-launch celebration grew, it became clear to the Arianespace launch
commentators -- who were not privy to the facts -- that something had
gone wrong.
Appearing somber and in shock, Luton provided what little data they had
and announced that a press briefing would be held in Kourou on Friday
morning.
Describing the orbit the two satellites are in, Luton said that they
missed the high point of the orbit by half. The intended low point, or
perigee, was to have been 500 miles (800 kilometers) and the intended
high point was to have been 22,300 miles (36,000 kilometers).
Instead, the Ariane 5 delivered the satellites into an orbit that was 372
miles (600 kilometers) by 10,870 miles (17,500 kilometers), Luton said.
Overall, Thursday's launch marked the ninth flight of the Ariane 5 and
the seventh flight on a commercial satellite delivery mission.
The rocket has been reliable since failures early in the program were
corrected and Arianespace has been successful in marketing the booster,
signing eight satellite delivery contracts so far this year.
=====================================
73 de Alan
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