Last flight Ariane 4 is delayed

2003/02/12 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronautika

Although the latest rocket Ariane 4 was going to be released today, due to bad weather they have left the launch for tomorrow. Its objective will be to put into orbit the telecommunications satellite Intelsat 907.

The first Ariane 4 was released in June 1998 and by then Ariane 1 could have launched three times heavier than Ariane 1. This launcher is ideal for orbiting telecommunication satellites and terrestrial inspection satellites.

However, the European Space Agency (ESA) wants to accommodate the Ariane 5, which by its larger size is able to put heavier loads into orbit. But the new member of the Ariane family is still not reliable enough, since in two of its launches it explodes and in two other two the satellite did not put them in orbit. Therefore, some have questioned whether the current will be the last release of a Ariane 4.