To: SafetyAgentMan who wrote (6287 ) 6/14/1999 1:07:00 AM From: SafetyAgentMan Read Replies (1) | Respond to
Boeing says still backs Delta-3 launcher
Reuters Story - June 13, 1999 13:06
By Alexander Miles
LE BOURGET, France, June 13 (Reuters) - Boeing remains committed to its
more powerful Delta-3 sath told a news conference at the Paris airshow.
Albaugh said that no commercial passenger had yet been lined up for a
third flight, but was confident one would be found when the results of
the failure inquiry was established.
The Seattle-based aerospace giant acquired the Delta family of unmanned
launch vehicles when it purchased McDonnell Douglas Corp.
Already in service at the time of acquisition was the highly reliable
Delta-2 rocket used by the U.S. government as well as global commercial
customers since the 1960s.
But Delta-2 can boost only about two metric tonnes into geostationary
transfer orbit (GTO) -- not powerful enough for most heavy
communications satellites now being produced.
Delta-3 was designed to boost up to 3.5 metric tonnes into GTO and
compete with the European Ariane rocket series, the U.S. Atlas rocket as
well as launchers from Russia and China.
Its maiden flight last year exploded less than one minute after launch
from Cape Canaveral, Florida destroying a $200 million satellite for
Connecticut-based PanAmSat .
A second launch last May put a satellite for LoralSpace/Orion into a
useless orbit.
Boeing said it currently has contracts for 16 launches through 2002,
including 12 for Hughes and five for Space Systems/Loral.
The two Delta failures coupled with three failures of Lockheed Martin
Titan-4 rockets in the last year, carrying billion dollar military
payloads and a failure of a smaller Athena rocket prompted President
Bill Clinton to commission an inquiry by the U.S. Defence Dept.
"It is vitally important that we understand the root causes behind the
recent string of launch vehicle failures," Clinton said in a memo to
Defence Secretary William Cohen in May.
"As we enter the 21st century, reliable access to space will be more
important than ever in accomplishing our national goals," Clinton said.
Space insurance underwriters have reacted to the spate of failures by
matching premium rates to the risk of specific rockets and satellites as
opposed to the previous tendency to apply general rates throughout the
industry.
The Titan failures, however, are unlikely to affect rates as the U.S.
government rarely insures its rockets and satellites.
