TECHNICAL failures have forced the European Space Agency to further delay the maiden flight of its giant rocket launcher, Ariane V. The launch was originally scheduled to take place at Kourou in French Guiana in November, and had already been postponed until early 1996. Last week the agency put it back again, to late April.
ESA says that tests during the summer exposed problems with equipment on the launch site, leaky oxygen and hydrogen fuel circuits, and a fault in the high-pressure oil distribution system in the rocket鈥檚 cryogenic engine. The agency says the system is prone to severe vibrations caused by a 鈥渨ater-hammer effect鈥� and would have to be reinforced.
A spokesman for the French space agency, which manages the Ariane V programme, told New 杏吧原创 that the modifications and launch delay would push the project over its 38 billion francs (拢4.8 billion) budget, which already includes a 20 per cent margin for cost overruns.
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Under ESA rules, contributing countries are obliged to finance this level of overspending, but can then refuse to pay more. Getting the necessary money together to bring Ariane V to its first blast-off will be added to a list of budget problems for discussion by ESA鈥檚 governing council next week.