By Peter B. de Selding
Space News Staff Writer
PARIS - Europe's Arianespace commercial launch consortium has begun making multiple minor adjustments to its Ariane 5 ECA rocket that should result in a 400-kilogram increase in the vehicle's commercial payload-carrying power by the end of 2010, according to the company's annual report.
The increased capacity would enable the Ariane 5 ECA to lift two telecommunications satellites weighing a combined 9,100 kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit.
Arianespace Chief Executive Jean-Yves Le Gall said April 9 that the performance enhancements will not include any hardware changes, but only minor modifications in how the vehicle is flown, such as letting the upper-stage engine burn longer before releasing the satellites.
The increased capacity would enable the Ariane 5 ECA to lift two telecommunications satellites weighing a combined 9,100 kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit.
Arianespace Chief Executive Jean-Yves Le Gall said April 9 that the performance enhancements will not include any hardware changes, but only minor modifications in how the vehicle is flown, such as letting the upper-stage engine burn longer before releasing the satellites.
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