§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement upon the failure of the British military communications satellite, launched at Cape Kennedy, to go into orbit.
§ Mr. YoungerThe first British Skynet II satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral (formerly Cape Kennedy), Florida, on 19th January. Twenty-two minutes after lift-off a fault developed in the second stage of the United States Delta launching rocket causing the whole assembly to tumble violently. The third stage then drove the whole assembly in an unknown direction and no further trace has been found. An inquiry into the launching failure has been initiated by NASA. British representatives will participate.