Arianespace launched its fifth mission for the year - V150 - from Kourou, French Guiana, on 16 April, carrying News Skies Satellite's NSS 7 spacecraft aboard an Ariane 44L booster. NSS 7 is the first satellite to be operated by the newly formed commercial division of the Intelsat organisation.
The launch comes as Arianespace secures new Asian business. The European company will launch Thailand's Shin Satellite Ipstar multimedia satellite aboard an Ariane 5 in 2003, for $90 million. The Space Systems/Loral-built LS 1300 SX model spacecraft, carrying 87 Ku-band and 10 Ka-band transponders, will be located at 120¼E in geostationary orbit. Arianespace launched Thailand's three Thaicom communications satellites in 1993-7.
Arianespace is discussing with Japan the possibility of making Ariane launchers available as alternatives to the Japanese H2A in the event of problems with the new booster. The H2A has performed two missions after the cancellation of Japan's H2 programme, which had suffered two failures.
Arianespace could also pick up the launch contract for Eutelsat's Atlantic Bird 1 communications satellite after its planned launch by a Chinese Long March 3A was thwarted by export licence issues. An alternative launch vehicle for the Alenia Spazio-built satellite is the Boeing Delta IV booster.
The failure of the first qualification firing of the GenCorp Aerojet 40t solid strap-on booster for the Lockheed Martin Atlas V on 15 March was caused by burn-through "O" ring seal in a joint at the base of the motor's nozzle, it has been confirmed (Flight International, 26 March-1 April). The joint failed at around 30s into the planned 95sfiring, as a result of the planned 4ºC low temperature start-up. The motor successfully performed a development firing in August 2001, but will have to pass a furtherqualification test.Source: Flight International
