SPEAKING of the rocket, The Margin was a little tickled by the piece in this week's Economist, previewing the launch. "There are few sights quite as stirring as a new rocket thundering powerfully into space," it stated. In the event those watching were more shaken than stirred. Still, at least the author did write that "if Arianespace is to continue the commercial success it enjoyed with Ariane 4, the new rocket will have to do more than simply leaving the earth without exploding."

Nothing simple about it, unfortunately. Or as the press statement from the European Space Agency, put it: "The first Ariane 5 flight did not result in validation of Europe's new launcher."