2 Europe navigation satellites in the wrong orbits

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/23/3343041/2-european-sat-nav-satellites.html?sp=/99/261/

2 Europe navigation satellites in the wrong orbits
The Associated Press
August 23, 2014 Updated 14 minutes ago

PARIS — European space officials say they're investigating whether the inaccurate deployment of two satellites will complicate their efforts to develop a new Galileo satellite navigation system that would rival America's GPS network.

The European Space Agency and launch company Arianespace say the satellites ended up in off-target orbits after being launched Friday from Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Soyuz rocket.

Saturday's agency statement did not explain whether their orbital paths could be corrected. Arianespace said the satellites settled into a lower, elliptical orbit instead of the circular one intended, and initial analyses suggested the mishap occurred during the flight phase and involved the Fregat upper stage of Soyuz.

"Our aim is of course to fully understand this anomaly," Stephane Israel, Arianespace chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "While it is too early to determine the exact causes, we would like to offer our sincere excuses to ESA and the European Commission for this orbital injection that did not meet expectations."

[Xipe Totec]

1. would like to offer our sincere excuses...

That's what I call candor.

[Ghost Dog]

2. Yeah, but

it's just a too-literal translation from the French. Sincere apologies is what is meant.