Ariane Set to Go Now Even MIT Has Troubles Labor's Policy
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98 Nature Vol. 299 9 September 1982 These reservations were not passed on to European space technology Arianespace, the company that will take IUB. Unfortunately the possibility of over commercial operation of the launcher Soviet scientists being banned as officials some time next year. Just two places was not considered by the organizers at any Ariane set to go remain to be firmly negotiated for 1985 and time during the interim period. A The delay to the fifth launch of Ariane, a number of reservations, for which spokesman from foreign affairs believes rescheduled from last April to tomorrow, customers must pay $100,000, are the problem could have been overcome by has had its effects on the vehicle's future apparently in hand for future years. But consultations beforehand. launch programme. But careful re Ariane has now lost some early re The stage was thus set for the imbroglio organization of the launch schedule up servations from customers who have at the conference, the first IUB congress in until the end of 1984 seems to have ensured eventually plumped for US facilities and Australia. The Soviet participants waited minimal damage to the launcher's com Arianespace acknowledges that the fifth until the last minute to apply for visas, and mercial prospects. launch of the shuttle in November, which just a few days before the conference the The five month delay has been caused by will put a satellite into geostationary ban was announced. Appeals from the problems with Marecs B, one of two transfer orbit, could take the edge off president of the Australian academy satellites that the fifth Ariane will put into Ariane's seeming attractiveness. (Professor Arthur Birch), the premier of geostationary orbit. Marecs B had to be The next few Ariane flights will still be Western Australia (Mr O'Connor) and the modified after problems with electrostatic formally in the hands of the European Swedish Academy were all to no avail. It charging on Marecs A, the sister satellite Space Agency. Arianespace will take over was too late for the government to back off launched by the fourth Ariane late last operations and start earning revenue from gracefully. year. The first effect of the delay has been launches from the middle of next year, Reactions at the congress were mixed. to reduce the number of Ariane launchers probably after the tenth flight. The Professor Frank Gibson of the Department this year from four to two. The next launch company hopes that by 1985 the capacity of of Biochemistry, John Curtin School of now scheduled for November will put the launch facilities at Kourou in French Medical Research, Australian National Exosat, the X-ray observatory built by the Guiana will increase from 6 to 12 University, says "disappointment at not European Space Agency, into polar elliptic when the second launch pad, now under hearing Professor Ovchinnikov's lecture orbit, more or less on its target date. But construction, comes into operation. was the main reaction". Lack of travel the launch of ECS I, a communications Arianespace expects to start showing a funds, and the relatively high cost of satellite, is being delayed to early next year modest but respectable profit in 1985. But internal air fares and accommodation and lntelsat, the international tele future prospects will also depend on the limited the number of overseas registrants, communications satellite organization, success of the space shuttle. The latest particularly from the United States. which was to have launched the sixth estimate is that customers will have little to The academy now faces the unenviable Intelsat V satellite aboard Ariane in choose between the two on price. Re task of persuading the government to October or December this year, has taken liability, service and convenience could be change its policy in the week before the that part of its custom elsewhere. most significant. Judy Redfearn ICSU meeting. Failing this, it will try to lntelsat, however, has not reduced its delay any precipitate action at the meeting. overall commitment to Ariane. The Australian science politics Nevertheless international censure may launcher will now put Intelsat V numbers 7, be just the prod the government needs to 8 and 9 into orbit next year instead of review its policy on sanctions. numbers 6, 7 and 8. Next year's launch Labor's policy Significantly, the International Union of programme has been rescheduled to Canberra Pure and Applied Chemistry succeeded in include six launches, the maximum The Australian Labor Party, more securing the admission of Israeli scientists possible with the present launch pad, hopeful than ever that it will form the next into India for a conference on the instead of five originally planned. federal government but less certain now applications of the Mossbauer effect held Ariane is now fully booked with firm than a few weeks ago that the general in Jaipur last December. VimalaSarma orders until the end of 1984, according to election will come soon, formally adopted a new policy on science and technology at its biennial conference here in July. Although the policy is vague enough not to Now even MIT has troubles be a constraint on Labor members of Washington connections at that time. parliament, the convention that Even well-off US universities are not According to provost Francis E. Low, conference decisions are binding on elected immune from the financial squeeze approximately two-thirds of MIT's representatives may yet cause trouble. affecting US higher education. The operating budget is composed of funds The new science policy was adopted on Massachusetts Institute of Technology that come in each year to operate facilities the nod on the last day of the conference, (MIT), which has an operating budget of such as the Lincoln Laboratory, with when most delegates were packing up to go $500 million, reports that it had a deficit little control or financial benefit to the home. On the face of things, science and of$2 million for the year just ended. Next rest of the institute. To control rising technology have only low priority, at least year's deficit could be $4 million. costs, then, the institute must look to the compared with the uranium issue. The Consequently, it has now announced $120 or $130 million in general funds that conference heard a sustained and plans to cut costs and, among other pay for education and its administration. embittered debate on the question of things, to lay off 400 employees. To prevent rising deficits, these activities whether Australia under Labor would Unlike both the California Institute of will have to be reduced. There will be honour existing uranium contracts. That Technology and Stanford University, some faculty reduction through normal issue remains unresolved, although the with which MIT is often compared, MIT attrition, causing a Joss of approximately conference confirmed the principle that has a relatively small endowment and 30 positions. Also, 200 other people will Labor will supply uranium abroad only on thus a harder cushion for hard times. The be allowed to leave through attrition in tough conditions. current deficit is not MIT's first; it had a the next few years, he says, while an The cornerstone of the Labor Party's deficit in the early 1970s, when it lost the additiona1200 will be laid off. Low thinks policy on science and technology is extra income and overhead funds that the institute can afford some belt-tighten economic - government spending will went with the Charles Stark Draper ing: "It [MIT) functions in some respects bring prosperity and economic growth. Mr Laboratory, from which it severed its in a luxurious way". Deborah Shapley William Hayden, the leader of the party, and his colleague with responsibility for 0028-0836/821360098-02$01.00 © 1982 Macmillan Journals Ltd .