Arianespace Orders 30 Ariane 5 ECA Rockets
By Staff Writer | June 20, 2003
French launch service provider Arianespace has ordered 30 new Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift rockets from prime contractor European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Co. (EADS).
The two companies announced Friday at the Paris Air Show that they had signed an “order letter” to initiate production of the “PA batch” of the Ariane 5 ECA launchers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
This order follows the overhaul of the Ariane 5 program agreed to by the European Space Agency last month. As part of that effort, ESA agreed to pony up 220 million euros (US$259 million) to fund two test flights to help resolve the problems that led the Ariane 5 ECA rocket to malfunction last December.