Posted: Fri, Apr 10, 2009, 7:25 AM ET (1125 GMT)
Commercial launch provider Arianespace reported this week a small profit in 2008. The French company reported a profit of €2.5 million (US$3.3 million) on sales of €955.7 million (US$1.26 billion). Revenues were up 3.5 percent compared to 2007 despite performing the same number of Ariane 5 launches, six, because one of those launches was of ESA's ATV cargo spacecraft to the ISS, a mission that generated more revenue than a typical commercial launch. The company is planning seven Ariane 5 launches in 2009 as well as the first Soyuz launch from a new launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana.
