Proton failure blamed on improperly installed sensors
Posted: Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 7:35 AM ET (1135 GMT)
Russian space agency officials said Thursday the crash of a Proton rocket earlier this month can be traced back to sensors that were installed in the rocket upside down. Officials said three of six angular velocity sensors on the Proton were incorrectly installed in the rocket, adding that they were unsure if the error was a mistake made by a technician or a flaw in blueprints for that rocket. Polygraph tests are planned for those who worked on the rocket. The Proton M, carrying three GLONASS communications satellites, lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 2 but veered out of control just seconds after liftoff, crashing a short distance from the launch pad. The earliest Proton launches could resume is the beginning of September, according to Roscosmos.
Russian space agency officials said Thursday the crash of a Proton rocket earlier this month can be traced back to sensors that were installed in the rocket upside down. Officials said three of six angular velocity sensors on the Proton were incorrectly installed in the rocket, adding that they were unsure if the error was a mistake made by a technician or a flaw in blueprints for that rocket. Polygraph tests are planned for those who worked on the rocket. The Proton M, carrying three GLONASS communications satellites, lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 2 but veered out of control just seconds after liftoff, crashing a short distance from the launch pad. The earliest Proton launches could resume is the beginning of September, according to Roscosmos.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX performs two Falcon 9 launches less than an hour apart
Posted: Sun, Aug 16 10:57 AM ET (1457 GMT) Virgin Galactic delays resumption of commercial flights to 2027
Posted: Sun, Aug 16 10:54 AM ET (1454 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, August 17
Ukrainian Flamingo Missiles Reportedly Hit Russia’s Progress Space-Rocket Centre in Samara
EU Today — 4:53 am ET (0853 GMT) Flamingo may have hit Russia's space program at its weakest link
RBC — 4:52 am ET (0852 GMT) MDA Space Satellites for Globalstar Successfully Launched
MDA — 4:51 am ET (0851 GMT) Rocket Lab Satellite Platforms Built for MDA Space Successfully Reach Orbit, Supporting Globalstar Direct-to-Device Communications Services
Rocket Lab — 4:50 am ET (0850 GMT) WA names Space Angel as recipient of spaceport establishment grant
Space and Defense — 4:44 am ET (0844 GMT) |
