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First Launch of new heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket

Posted by Hemos on from the heavy-lifter dept.

obiwan2u writes "In the article Europe's super-rocket rides high, BBC talks about the Feb 12th launch of Arianespace's new bigger/better Ariane 5-ECA. The new rocket can lift multiple satellites totalling 10 metric tons (10K kilograms or about 11 olde english tons) into geosync orbit. The price will hopefully around $15K-$20K per kg. The first launch included a communications satellite and a science experiment called (I'm not making this up) SloshSat , designed to investigate the dynamics of fluids in microgravity. "

3 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. Tons by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    10 metric tons (10K kilograms or about 11 olde english tons)

    Hang on a moment, if you're being literal, than an "olde english" ton is not the same as a US ton (2000 pounds). The imperial ton is is 2240 pounds, which would make the sentence:

    10 metric tons (10K kilograms or about 9.8 olde english tons)

    Thank you, and have a good day.

  2. Re:What is it actually for? by bhima · · Score: 4, Funny
    It's for putting really big things in space.

    Or several smaller things in space, at the same time.

    --
    Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
  3. Oblig. Simpsons by SB5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead, and that's the way I likes it!

    So how many rods to the hogshead does it get?

    --
    If what you are reading sounds funny, or sarcastic, lame, or stupid
    it is because it is supposed to be. just laugh