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Arianespace Ready for Liftoff

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the anxiously-awaiting-the-space-elevator dept.

stuckinarut writes to tell us Arianespace is reporting that their newest Ariane dual-satellite ECA mission rolled out of the assembly building and is set for a launch today (Nov 12) at 2345 GMT. This flight is set to demonstrate the massive lift capacity of nearly 10,000 kg and is currently the "only commercial vehicle that can launch two mainstream telecommunications satellite payloads on the same mission."

3 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Only commercial vehicle in a socialist economy by heroine · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Since the Arianne ECA hasn't lifted off yet and the word "commercial" in France is a relative term, it's hard to believe it's the only commercial vehicle that can launch two telecommunications satellites.

    The delta IV could lift slightly more than the Arianne ECA. Before it failed its test flight, it too was the only commercial vehicle that could launch two telecommunications satellites.

    Despite the fact that u.s. is clearly inferior in this game, one has to wonder if the centralized funding of this rocket is really the most effective system considering their 10% unemployment and their riots.

  2. Re:Back in my day... by fuck_this_shit · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    ... we fried astronauts instead of satellites.

  3. Whoops, misread that as aryanspace... by SeaFox · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I was visualizing a myspace.com type site targetted at White Supremacists.