spacetoday.net: Ariane 5 launch delayed again

Updated: Mon, Aug 18, 2003, 1:04 PM ET (1704 GMT)
Originally Posted: Mon, Aug 18, 2003, 11:46 AM ET (1546 GMT)
Ariane 5 prior to flight 160 launch (Arianespace)

Arianespace announced Monday that the next Ariane 5 would be delayed several days, and possibly several weeks, to deal with a satellite issue, the second such delay in as many weeks. In a brief statement, Arianespace said that the customer for one of the three satellites being launched by the Ariane 5G — Insat 3E, eBird, and SMART-1 — "requested additional verifications on its satellite payload components". No other details were given, and Arianespace would only say that a new date for the launch, previously scheduled for September 3, would be provided later. In a separate press release, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the problem was with its INSAT 3E spacecraft, after the manufacturer of unspecified components alerted ISRO of a "quality alert". ISRO said the INSAT 3E would be ready in three to four weeks. Arianespace made a similar launch delay announcement last week, pushing the Ariane 5 launch back from August 28 to September 3.