The Government has offered Australia's three mobile operators, and vividwireless, renewal of their existing spectrum allocated on 15 year licences in the late 90s and early 2000s at set prices, while the Government expects to rake in $3 billion.
According to ESA officials, more than 600 parameters were recorded during the 111 second firing test to monitor the performance of the motor, and initial analysis has confirmed that the measurements were as expected.
The P80 is destined to power the first stage of the Vega small launcher that has been designed to take a 1500kg satellite to a 700km circular orbit.
Unusually, the P80 uses a single solid propellant segment weighing 88 tonnes. Solid fuel rockets of this size typically use several separately-cast segments.
Unlike the Arianne 5 solid boosters which have a steel shell, the P80 has a filament-wound composite casing.
"The qualification of the P80 motor is a cornerstone. It is the biggest mono-segment, filament-wound-case solid-fuel rocket motor ever developed and this takes us a step closer to the Vega maiden flight," said Stefano Bianchi, ESA's head of the Vega programme.
"The programme has a tight schedule for the maiden flight. We can proceed - as from today - with increased confidence. Let's make sure we will meet the next major milestones as scheduled."
Vega's first flight, originally planned for late 2007, is now scheduled to occur by the end of 2008.
The launcher is being developed ESA with the support of Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, The Netherlands, and Sweden.
David Bass
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