Weather delays final Ariane 4 launch
Updated: Wed, Feb 12, 2003, 8:21 PM ET (0121 GMT)
Originally Posted: Wed, Feb 12, 2003, 8:27 AM ET (1327 GMT)
Poor weather has delayed for two consecutive days the final launch of the Ariane 4 launch vehicle. The Ariane 44L booster was scheduled to lift off from Kourou, French Guiana at 2 am EST (0700 GMT) Wednesday carrying the Intelsat 907 spacecraft, but high upper-altitude winds caused the launch to be scrubbed a few hours before liftoff. A second launch attempt for Thursday morning was also scrubbed late Wednesday, again because of high winds. The launch, when it does occur, will be the last for the Ariane 4 series of boosters which date back to the late 1980s. Arianespace planned the retirement of the Ariane 4 several years ago as the new, more powerful Ariane 5 entered service. Despite the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA booster in December, Arianespace is planning a launch of a "generic" Ariane 5 booster — unaffected by the engine problems with the ECA version — in March.
Originally Posted: Wed, Feb 12, 2003, 8:27 AM ET (1327 GMT)
Poor weather has delayed for two consecutive days the final launch of the Ariane 4 launch vehicle. The Ariane 44L booster was scheduled to lift off from Kourou, French Guiana at 2 am EST (0700 GMT) Wednesday carrying the Intelsat 907 spacecraft, but high upper-altitude winds caused the launch to be scrubbed a few hours before liftoff. A second launch attempt for Thursday morning was also scrubbed late Wednesday, again because of high winds. The launch, when it does occur, will be the last for the Ariane 4 series of boosters which date back to the late 1980s. Arianespace planned the retirement of the Ariane 4 several years ago as the new, more powerful Ariane 5 entered service. Despite the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA booster in December, Arianespace is planning a launch of a "generic" Ariane 5 booster — unaffected by the engine problems with the ECA version — in March.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, March 12
Firefly Returns To Flight With First Launch In 11 Months
Aviation Week — 6:06 am ET (1006 GMT) After Wait, Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha Rocket Lifts Off at Vandenberg
Noozhawk — 6:05 am ET (1005 GMT) Firefly Successfully Launches Rocket After September Explosion
Bloomberg News — 6:05 am ET (1005 GMT) China’s SpaceSail Seeks Fresh Funding to Build Rival to Starlink
Caixin — 6:04 am ET (1004 GMT) Space Command is leaving Colorado. Are more losses ahead?
KUNC-FM Greeley, CO — 6:03 am ET (1003 GMT) |
