December 11, 2002 (Wednesday)
- First flight of the ESC-A variant of the Ariane 5 is a failure, with the rocket and the two communications satellites it was carrying destroyed a few minutes after lift-off from Kourou, French Guiana.
- South African police seize 384 kg of explosives found in a truck belonging to Tom Vorster, alleged leader of the far-right militant group the Boeremag.