Vega's upper-stage had to ignite several times to get all three satellites in their correct orbits.

BBC: Esa's Vega rocket puts Proba-V vegetation mission in orbit

The upgrade - known as Ariane 5ME (Mid-Life Evolution) - would introduce a more powerful upper-stage engine.

BBC: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: Europe's rocket 'has no chance'

Work will continue to give Ariane 5 a major upgrade, to provide it with a more powerful upper-stage engine that will also have a stop-start capability.

BBC: Ariane rocket ready to do battle

These will probably involve upgrading the existing rocket with a more powerful upper-stage whilst at the same time laying down a firm development programme for a next generation rocket that benefits from substantially reduced production costs.

BBC: Ministers to define Europe's goals in space

Smith improved over rounds four and five but the Commonwealth Games silver medallist from 2002 looked to be heading for defeat at the half-way stage with Quigley picking him off with a combination of upper-cuts and jabs.

BBC: Smith beats Quigley in thriller

"After a good flight of the solid boosters and core cryogenic stage, there was a problem with the upper stage and the desired orbit was not attained, " Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Marie Luton announced after the mission.

CNN: Ariane rocket puts satellites in defective orbit

And in April this year, the upper stage of an American Centaur rocket failed when a guidance parameter was incorrectly entered as -0.199, rather than -1.99, with the result that the satellite it was carrying was placed in the wrong orbit.

ECONOMIST: Mishaps in space: Foolish, not ghoulish | The

Dr Baker reckons that costs can be cut if the launch rocket uses the satellite's guidance computer instead of having its own, and if the satellite's built-in rocket motor is bolstered to do the work now performed by a launch rocket's upper stage.

ECONOMIST: Space