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I think the concern is the possibility of damage in transit. I think most of the ESA & NASA's scientific missions effectively get final assembly on site, follow
by sidewndr46 4y ago
I think the concern is the possibility of damage in transit. I think most of the ESA & NASA's scientific missions effectively get final assembly on site, followed by a pre-launch check, then clearance to be placed in the final stage's payload chamber.
- syedkarim 4y agoThe Ariane 5 launches from South America. The rocket and the payload are shipped from Europe to French Guiana.
- sidewndr46 4y agoI'm reasonably certain the Ariane rockets are not shipped in final form to South America: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/Ariane_5_is_transferred_to_the_Final_Assembly_Building https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosett...
- Reason077 4y agoYeah, but that's because there isn't a suitable launch site in France or elsewhere on the European continent. Rocket Lab do have launch sites in the USA, so why go to all the trouble of shipping everything to New Zealand?