Satellites sent into wrong orbit

The Ariane 5 rocket on launch pad before a previous mission

KOUROU, French Guiana -- The race is on to recover two satellites worth more than $1 billion that were sent into a defective orbit.

The satellites were launched from Earth on board an Ariane 5 rocket on Thursday.

One of the satellites -- the $850 million Artemis built by the European Space Agency -- was expected to have played a major role in communications with the International Space Station.

Designed to operate for 10 years, it would also enable European scientists to operate other satellites in low orbit.

Ironically, the three-tonne Artemis was originally scheduled for launch aboard a Japanese H-2 rocket, but the launch contract with Japan was cancelled after the H-2 suffered a series of launch failures.

The satellites are said to be in much lower orbits than the geostationary positions they were meant to occupy.

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

Both are being monitored from ground stations in Kenya and Australia.

A statement by Jean-Marie Luton, chairman of the French-based Arianespace rocket company 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."

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.

As well as the Artemis, the Ariane was carrying a Japanese BSAT-2B satellite, for direct broadcast television.

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

European Space Agency officials are optimistic that the orbit could be corrected.

"We will attempt to place our satellite in a secure position," Claudio Mastracci, ESA Applications Director, told reporters.

Both satellites were launched from French Guiana on board Western Europe's new generation Ariane-5 rocket.

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

Thursday's flight was the first time an Ariane rocket had malfunctioned since Ariane-5's maiden test flight exploded 37 seconds after launch in 1996.

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 comming years.