1.
GV ROCKET BASE (3 SHOTS)
0.11

2.
SV PAN TO RADAR TRACKING (5 SHOTS)
0.27

3.
CU SIGN: FRENCH-GERMAN PROJECT
0.30

4.
SV INT. ROCKET (2 SHOTS)
0.51

5.
SV TECHNICIAN IN CONTROL ROOM WORKING (4 SHOTS)
1.04

6.
CU PRIVATE PROPERTY SIGN
1.07

7.
SV ROCKET BEING ROLLED OUT OF HANGAR
1.10

8.
CU PHOTOGRAPHER
1.12

9.
SV ROCKET ON LAUNCHING PAD
1.18



Initials PH/V/PNG/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BLAST-OFF FOR A NEW FRENCH ROCKET SPEARHEADING EUROPE'S SPACE EFFORT, WAS POSTPONED FOR AT LEAST 48-HOURS TODAY (MONDAY, MARCH 9TH) WHILE TECHNICIANS REPLACED A FAULTY ELECTRONIC NERVE CELL AT THE LAUNCH CENTRE AT KOUROU, IN FRENCH GUIANA.

HOPES OF LAUNCHING THE 77-FOOT (22.3 METRE) HIGH DIAMANT-B ROCKET FROM THE FORMER SOUTH AMERICAN PENAL COLONY THIS MORNING, WERE DASHED YESTERDAY (SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH) WHEN THE FAULT WAS FIRST DETECTED IN THE VEHICLE'S SECOND STAGE.

TECHNICIANS TRACED THE FAULT TO THE ROCKET'S "BLACK BOX" NERVE CENTRE, WHERE A SHORT CIRCUIT APPARENTLY CAUSED A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

IF THE LAUNCH GOES AHEAD AS PLANNED, A SUCCESSFUL SHOT WILL MEAN THE CULMINATION OF THREE YEAR'S WORK IN BUILDING THE 41-MILLION POUND STERLING (APPROX: 80-MILLION U.S. DOLLARS) KOUROU SPACE CENTRE, AS WELL AS PAVING THE WAY FOR LAUNCHING EUROPE'S FIRST TELECOMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE IN 1972.

THE 25-TON ROCKET IS CARRYING A SMALL FRANCO-GERMAN SATELLITE TO TEST ITS PERFORMANCE IN FLIGHT AND THE CENTRE'S SOPHISTICATED LAUNCHPAD AND TRACKING FACILITIES.

THE SPACE CENTRE STRETCHES 37-MILES (60-KMS) ALONG THE COAST BETWEEN BRAZIL AND DUTCH GUIANA.

THE DIAMANT-B ROCKET IS PART OF THE SEVEN-NATION EUROPEAN LAUNCHER DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION'S PLAN TO PUT THE "SYMPHONIE" SATELLITE IN ORBIT IN TIME FOR THE MUNICH OLYMPIC GAMES, AND MAKE WESTERN EUROPE THE THIRD SPACE POWER AFTER THE SOVIET UNION AND AMERICA.