Arianespace will not be too pleased with the ill-timed comments of Yuri Semenov of the Russian Energia Corp-oration, which is exhibiting at the Show.
Commenting on the successful launch of the Russian-Ukrainian Zenit 3SL booster on a commercial mission by the Boeing-led Sea Launch organisation from the Odyssey equatorial platfom in the Pacific Ocean, last week, Semenov said "the Zenit can now compete on equal terms with the Ariane 5".
Arianespace has agreed to take on Russia's Soyuz booster to offer commercial launches into a variety of orbits - including geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) - from the convenient equatorial location of Kourou, French Guyana.
Under these commercial circumstances, the comments about the competing Zenit are rather undiplomatic. Semenov said that after 32 modifications to the Zenit 3SL, the booster can carry a maximum payload of 6,250kg (14,000lb), which the 5G cannot match. Sea Launch offers single satellite launches only.
When Arianespace can start operating the Ariane ECA again in 2004, after its maiden flight disaster in December last year, the vehicle will be able to place dual - or single - payloads weighing 10,000kg into GTO.
In its latest launch, Arianespace successfully launched an Ariane 5G booster from Kourou on 11 June, carrying the Optus C1 commercial and military communications satellite and the Japanese Broadcasting Satellite System's B-SAT 2c. It was the 12th successful 5G launch.
Source: Flight Daily News