Ariane rocket puts satellites in defective orbit

KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters) -- Western Europe's new generation Ariane-5 rocket sent two satellites into a defective orbit after launch on Thursday from French Guiana, the Arianespace rocket launch company said in a statement.

"Arianespace Flight 142 placed its dual satellite payload in a lower than desired orbit following a problem with the launcher's upper stage," the statement said.

"After a good flight of the solid boosters and core cryogenic stage, there was a problem with the upper stage and the desired orbit was not attained," Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Marie Luton announced after the mission.

Luton expressed "regrets to our clients" and said an investigation had already begun.

The new generation Ariane-5 rocket was carrying the ARTEMIS experimental satellite for the European Space Agency (ESA), valued at $850 million, and Japan's BSAT-2B for direct broadcast television. ARTEMIS was partly insured, ESA officials said. BSAT officials were not available for comment.

Thursday's flawed flight was the first time an Ariane rocket had malfunctioned since Ariane-5's maiden test flight exploded 37 seconds after launch in 1996. Specialists said it was too early to consider Thursday's flight a failure and corrective action might be possible.

Eight of Ariane's 141 missions have failed since the Ariane program began in 1979.

ESA officials optimistic

ESA officials were optimistic that the orbit could be corrected.

"We are optimistic. We will attempt to place our satellite in a secure position," Claudio Mastracci, ESA Applications Director, told reporters. He said the satellite was being monitored from ground stations in Kenya and Australia.

ARTEMIS Mission Director Gotthard Oppenhauser said that by deploying the satellite's solar panels the spacecraft could be shifted into a better orbit, enabling it to function for 10 years as planned. "We think we will be able to save its life expectancy."

ARTEMIS was originally slated for launch aboard a Japanese H-2 rocket. The launch contract with Japan was cancelled after the H-2 suffered a series of launch failures.