In article ,
says...

Jeff Findley wrote:

In article , says...

I suppose there can be only so much patience waiting for a flight
backlog to be drained, and Inmarsat has reached the limit of theirs,
shifting from SpaceX to Ariane for one of their satellites:

http://www.inmarsat.com/news/inmarsa...e-arianespace/

Some payloads can't withstand long flight delays for economic or other
reasons (e.g. lost revenue). Others can. Some payloads can even afford
to launch on Atlas V and Delta IV.


This one was a regulatory issue. To stay within their EU permit, they
had to launch before the end of the year.

Agreed. That's what I've read since posting my original reply. That
seems odd, but it's the EU so....

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.