Ariane 5 rocket suffers first anomalies in 15 years; consequences for SES minimal, Yahsat unclear

by Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — Europe’s Ariane 5 heavy-lift rocket on Jan. 25 suffered its first serious anomaly in 15 years but the extent of the damage to its customers — fleet operators SES and Yahsat — was not immediately clear 12 hours after the launch.

Launch-service provider Arianespace said both satellite payloads were in orbit and communicating, but the company did not say whether the orbital injection was on target.

On the morning of Jan. 26, Luxembourg-based SES said its SES-14 satellite, an all-electric model from Airbus Defense . . .

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