The European Space Agency and the French space agency have set up an independent board of inquiry to look into the causes of the failure of the first Ariane 5 launch vehicle. This, following its launch on June 4th from the ESA Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.
The AMSAT News Service says that investigators are looking closely at the launcher’s electrical and software systems. The Ariane 5 was carrying the European Space Agency’s four Cluster satellites on a science mission to study Earth-Sun interactions. The vehicle veered off course after nearly 40 seconds of flight and was destroyed by an “onboard neutralization system.” Preliminary analysis of the telemetry data confirms that the propulsion stages functioned correctly.
The board of inquiry will propose actions to prevent a recurrence of the disaster and is being asked to report by mid July.
AMSAT’s Phase 3D ham radio satellite is scheduled to be launched in October using the same type of rocket. In the wake of the June 4 failure, AMSAT officials have not ruled out a delay in that schedule.
(Source: Amateur Radio Newsline)
(Editor's note: Nashua Area Radio Club members have helped build parts of the Phase 3D satellite