Ariane rocket in orbit blunder

The Ariane enjoyed a normal lift off

KOUROU, French Guiana -- The new generation Ariane 5 space rocket sent two satellites into the wrong orbit after its upper stage shut down 80 seconds too soon.

This is the first conclusion made after space officials began analysing data following the defective launch from French Guiana.

Officials of the Arianespace rocket launch company said it was too early to determine if the $1 billion satellites could still be put into operation.

Specialists said it was likely the two satellites' life expectancy would be reduced even if a correct orbit could be achieved.

After a normal lift-off late on Thursday, the rocket's upper stage shut down 80 seconds too soon.

Aboard the rocket was the ARTEMIS experimental communications satellite built by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan's BSAT-2B satellite for direct broadcast television.

The $850 million Artemis was expected to have played a major role in communications with the International Space Station. It was also designed to enable European scientists to operate other satellites in low orbit.

Arianespace said the cause of the anomaly would be determined by an investigative panel to be named next week, which would report its findings at the end of August.

The flawed launch called into question the reliability of the Ariane-5 rocket. It has flown 10 times.

Its first test launch in 1996 ended in failure seconds after launch. Its second flight a year later also left its satellites in a flawed orbit.

Ariane-5 is replacing the older generation Ariane-4 rocket that has a reliability rate of 97 percent. Ariane-4 has 12 more flights before being phased out of service by 2003.

Mission control said it was too early to consider the Ariane launch a failure and corrective action might be possible.

A statement by Jean-Marie Luton, chairman of the French-based Arianespace said: "Arianespace Flight 142 placed its dual satellite payload in a lower than desired orbit following a problem with the launcher's upper stage.

"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." Luton expressed "regrets to our clients"

Earlier Artemis Mission Director Gotthard Oppenhauser said that by deploying the satellite's solar panels the spacecraft could be shifted into a better orbit. "We think we will be able to save its life expectancy," he said.

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

The next scheduled launch of a European rocket is due on August 23, when an Ariane 4 will carry an Intelsat-902 telecoms satellite into space.

Arianespace, the commercial arm of the 13-nation ESA, has orders to launch a total of 46 satellites for the International Space Station in coming years.