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Europe Spaceworthy Again

Posted by michael on from the watch-out-for-patriot-missiles dept.

Soft writes "After last february's retirement of the Ariane 4 and last year's failure of the uprated Ariane 5 EC-A, an Ariane 5G ("generic") successfully launched two communications satellites tonight. Stories at SpaceflightNow and the BBC. Atlas, Delta, watch out, we're still game!"

13 comments

  1. That's fine by kriston · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You need not worry about too much competition from the Titan program unless you have heavy-launch capability. The US doesn't even have enough Titans to launch the next-generation spy satellites even if they were finished in time to replace the existing spy satellites. There is a good piece on this in a recent issue of "The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" (http://www.bulletin.org/).

    Kris

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    Kriston

    1. Re:That's fine by kriston · · Score: 4, Informative

      Naturally it's actually http://www.thebulletin.org/.

      Kris

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      Kriston

  2. More significantly ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    India has decided to stick with Ariane for it's next two satellite launches.

  3. I've been waiting to launch Europe into space by Rares+Marian · · Score: 2, Funny

    Reasons:

    1. Bunch of ingrates
    2. Tony Blair; there's only room for one GWB in this world
    3. Trendy electronic music, wait is Aphex Twin from Europe? Damn!

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    1. Re:I've been waiting to launch Europe into space by Golthar · · Score: 1

      Explain to me why you think we are ungrateful.

      Is it because we have a different opinion?
      (BTW, im from the Netherlands that offered full political support to the US, unlike others)

    2. Re:I've been waiting to launch Europe into space by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's because he has no knowledge of world events beyond what he sees on tv.

      "history" is a word he would have to look up in a dictionary.
      "ingrate" as well I suspect.

    3. Re:I've been waiting to launch Europe into space by Rares+Marian · · Score: 1

      It's not the difference of opinion, it's the mix of arrogance and spinelessness of certain individuals (having lived in the US most of my life, I know what arrogance is when I see it).

      I made a cheap shot because I saw the opportunity for a joke and to blow off some steam.

      France has been rather ungrateful in various remarks and attitudes considering events that happened half a century ago.

      If the story had been France is spaceworthy again, I probably would have stuck to that.

      I also have some bones to pick with Europeans who get upset about our freedoms being supposedly so dangerous. Sure there's plenty of whiners in the US, but that's because they're ignorant. The North American continent is basically three countries, US, Canada, and Mexico. There aren't enough players on this piece of dirt to make any sort of alliance or conspiracy work.

      Now Europe having seen war after war might have a reason to feel sensitive to violence and things associated with violence. But I could argue that it's quite the opposite. Having seen so much war, they should be able to tell the bloody difference between coordinated armed military assault and self-worth and defense against burglary and kidnapping of the random variety.

      Incidentally, I think this war is frightening. Millions protest and no one in the news media tries to get in depth commentary. All we get is support Bush if you're a real American.

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  4. jeepers by BortQ · · Score: 1
    Can you imagine how nervous everyone was during this launch?

    It's a scary thought.

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  5. not the same engine that blew up by rsdavis9 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I read somewhere that this used an older first stage engine that had successfully flown before. The malfunction of the previous flight was with a new advanced first stage and it had to be destroyed when it went off course. So they havent even flown the problematic engine yet. So I guess this flight proves nothing as to whether ariane is space worthy again.

    bob