Arianespace investigating accident

Sat, 14 Dec 2002

JAKARTA: French Arianespace announced on Friday it was setting up an independent inquiry board to investigate the failed launching of the Ariane-5 rocket on Thursday.

In a press release made available to The Jakarta Post, Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Gall said members of the board would be named within a few days.

Ariane-5 rocket in Arianespace Flight 157 exploded only moments after blastoff from its launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana, sending two satellites plunging into the Atlantic Ocean.

The disaster brought an estimated of US$600 million losses, space officials said as quoted by Reuters.

The board would be expected to announce its initial conclusion shortly, Gall said.--JP

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