Aalice.365
net.columbia
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ihnss!mhtsa!alice!sjb
Sun Jan 10 15:56:58 1982
competition
As cargo space on board the shuttle (and future shuttles) is
booked until 1987, some American firms are choosing the European
Ariane rocket, which just completed its test program and was
announced ``operational,'' over the American Delta rocket for
monetary reason.  While the shuttle can carry four satellites
at a time, at about $8 million each, the Ariane can only carry
two satellites at $20 million.  But since there is no space on
board the shuttle in the near future, and also since the Department
of Defense may be able to bump commercial cargo off on short
notice, firms are choosing the Ariane over the Delta -- in
the next two years, the Ariane rocket has been booked for
a total cost of $100 million, while the same satellites on
the Delta would cost $125 to $135 million.