Manufacturing defect blamed for Dnepr failure
Posted: Mon, Jul 31, 2006, 8:20 AM ET (1220 GMT)
The crash of a Dnepr rocket carrying 18 satellites last week was likely caused by a manufacturing defect with the rocket, Russian officials said Sunday. The Dnepr failed less than two minutes after liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 26, crashing back to Earth. Investigators said that a malfunction with one of the engines about one minute after liftoff caused the rocket to divert from its planned trajectory, and when ground controllers could not put the rocket back on course it was destroyed. The exact nature of the malfunction was not disclosed. The Dnepr is a converted SS-18 ICBM manufactured by Ukraine. Wreckage from the rocket was found 150 kilometers from Baikonur, with the crash site itself contaminated with high levels of the rocket fuel heptyl.
The crash of a Dnepr rocket carrying 18 satellites last week was likely caused by a manufacturing defect with the rocket, Russian officials said Sunday. The Dnepr failed less than two minutes after liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 26, crashing back to Earth. Investigators said that a malfunction with one of the engines about one minute after liftoff caused the rocket to divert from its planned trajectory, and when ground controllers could not put the rocket back on course it was destroyed. The exact nature of the malfunction was not disclosed. The Dnepr is a converted SS-18 ICBM manufactured by Ukraine. Wreckage from the rocket was found 150 kilometers from Baikonur, with the crash site itself contaminated with high levels of the rocket fuel heptyl.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, July 7
Proposed NASA budget cuts will shutter Colorado missions, could impact state aerospace economy
KOAA-TV Colorado Springs — 5:45 am ET (0945 GMT) NASA Telescope Snaps First Images of Universe After Vandenberg Launch
Noozhawk — 5:45 am ET (0945 GMT) Trump calls Musk's formation of new party "ridiculous" and criticizes his own NASA pick
Reuters — 5:44 am ET (0944 GMT) Dark Dwarfs lurking at the center of our Galaxy might hint at the nature of dark matter
Eurekalert — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) U.S. Air Force halts plan for rocket landing pads on remote Pacific atoll amid environmental backlash
Space News — 5:33 am ET (0933 GMT) |
