spacetoday.net: Proton, Rockot vehicles to return to flight in September

Posted: Wed, Aug 7, 2013, 7:58 AM ET (1158 GMT)
Proton M launch failure on 2013 July 2

Two Russian launch vehicles will return to service in September, one after a disastrous launch failure and the other after a partial failure. The head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos said the investigation into the early July failure of a Proton rocket, carrying three GLONASS navigation satellites, has been completed. Proton launches will resume in September with a commercial communications satellite, with plans to perform four to five Proton launches through the end of the year. Russian officials also said the Rockot small launch vehicle will fly again in the first half of September. Launches of the Rockot, based on the SS-19 ICBM, were put on hold after a January launch when a glitch with the rocket's upper stage put one of three Strela communications satellites in the wrong orbit. Engineers have corrected the problem with the Briz-KM upper stage, officials said, clearing the way for a launch of three Gonets satellites.