Re: Launch partner?
So if various bits of the Russian kit are possibly a bit flaky and unreliable, why use them? Was the contract signed before the debut of SpaceX? And why not use Ariane?
Because this satellite weighs less than two tonnes and Ariane 5 is good for 16-20t to LEO. Ariane 5 is overkill for most missions - it normally launches pairs of satellites, but that in itself introduces the challenge of finding payloads who are going to a sufficiently similar orbit (and which need launching at about the same time/year) that they can sensibly ride share.
The Rockot is not really flaky - they have a good run of successful launches as mentioned in the article. It's the Proton-M which has been causing the Ruskies all sorts of issues over the last couple of years.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
