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Uprated "10-ton" Ariane 5 Fails

Posted by chrisd on from the boom-boom-boom dept.

Soft writes "The latest version of the European Ariane 5 booster ("ESC-A") has failed on its first launch. Liftoff was good up to booster separation but the core stage shut down one minute afterwards or so. The rocket was supposed to lift ten metric tons (22,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit, versus 6.7 for the previous Ariane 5G (and 5 and 5.3 for the latest Atlas 5 and Delta 4). Arianespace planned to retire its other launchers (Ariane 4, Ariane 5G) in favor of Ariane 5 ESC-A. Next launch, of space probe Rosetta, was due in mid-January."

5 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. the effects of socialism by tps12 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    That's what you get when you chase all of the good engineers and scientists to the US with socialist policies. Here, we value intelligence and ingenuity, and don't see any problem with rewarding the people who possess those traits with wealth. That is why you will never see a disaster of this magnitude in the American space program.

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
  2. An outrage to tax payers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    I've got 10 tons of cock your mom has no problem getting up.

  3. Those crazy Euros! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    They should talk to the Germans. I hear that they love the Arianes...

  4. Battleground of the future by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Americans say that space is the battleground of the future.
    Well the French will lure their enemies to the launchpad and then just drop the rocket on them. Good idea boys. Ya dumb frogs...

  5. Haha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Stupid French. Looks like their rocketry program is as effective as their military.