[amsat-bb] More about the Ariane failure

[Jeff Davis <ke9v@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This article about the most recent Ariane launch failure is interesting 
reading and points out that a ride to GTO is becoming a rare thing:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=qw103978728197W253&set_id=1

"But the reality is that no one at present is making money by launching
satellites. Five years ago there was a surge in satellite demand, driven
by an over-enthusiastic expectation for both satellite phones and the
dot.com business. Although a new generation of rockets has been
developed, few organisation actually want to use them.

In 1997 there were some 60 commercial rocket launches, which fell to 28
last year. This year there will be only 21 commercial satellite launches."

-- 
Jeff Davis <ke9v@comcast.net>
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