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Atlas V's Maiden Launch a Success

Posted by michael on from the who-cares-where-they-come-down dept.

PyroMosh writes "The next generation expendable heavy lifting rocket, the Atlas 5, lifted off today from Cape Canaveral Air Station. The American rocket, built by Lockheed Martin, sporting Russian RD-180 engines carried the Eutelsat Hotbird 6 telecommunications satellite into orbit. This next generation heavy lifter can out-lift any rocket built since the Saturn V 'Moon rocket', including the shuttle." Spaceflightnow has extensive coverage.

2 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Fuck off you americans by stud9920 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Arrrriane waves its private parts at your aunties ! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries ! We fart in your general direction !

    1. Re:Fuck off you americans by Swaf · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Whithout being rude (but Monty Pythons are never rude anyway), it is true that this launch is badly resented by many Europeans. Don't forget that this project was heavily supported by the Defense Department. In current times of crisis when less commercial sats are produced, the army will still pay to get its own satellites launched. Add to that, a.o., the refusal of the Kyoto protocol, the arbitrary anti-freetrade measures against European steel and the alleged spying of economic data using Echelon (and I am not paranoid), and you will start to understand a growing state of mind in Europe towards the States. Not speaking about the militaristic views of Bush Jr... (I don't want to be classified as 'flamebait' ;-))