Proton upper stage failure strands two satellites in transfer orbit
Posted: Tue, Aug 7, 2012, 4:54 PM ET (2054 GMT)
The upper stage of a Proton rocket that lifted off Tuesday malfunctioned, stranding its payload of two communications satellites in an intermediate orbit. The Proton M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:31 pm EDT Monday (1931 GMT Monday, 1:31 am local time Tuesday) carrying the Express MD2 and Telkom 3 satellites. The two were destined to go to geosynchronous transfer orbit, but a malfunction with the Breeze M upper stage stranded the spacecraft in an "off-nominal intermediate" orbit with an apogee of only 6,000 kilometers, far short of GEO and with little chance of rescue. The failure was apparently associated with the third of four engine burns by the upper stage. Russian media reports indicate that Proton launches will be suspended while the failure is being investigated.
The upper stage of a Proton rocket that lifted off Tuesday malfunctioned, stranding its payload of two communications satellites in an intermediate orbit. The Proton M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:31 pm EDT Monday (1931 GMT Monday, 1:31 am local time Tuesday) carrying the Express MD2 and Telkom 3 satellites. The two were destined to go to geosynchronous transfer orbit, but a malfunction with the Breeze M upper stage stranded the spacecraft in an "off-nominal intermediate" orbit with an apogee of only 6,000 kilometers, far short of GEO and with little chance of rescue. The failure was apparently associated with the third of four engine burns by the upper stage. Russian media reports indicate that Proton launches will be suspended while the failure is being investigated.
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 14
Texas rocket maker Firefly Aerospace files to go public as FLY
San Antonio Express-News — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT) SpaceX launches highly secret Israeli communications satellite
UPI — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT) Explained: How SpaceX’s Crew Dragon will bring Shubhanshu Shukla and crew back to Earth
ThePrint (India) — 5:57 am ET (0957 GMT) How Trump’s Megabill Could Stall American Space Exploration
The Daily Caller — 5:56 am ET (0956 GMT) Andhra Pradesh becomes first state to launch space policy, eyes Rs 25,000 cr investment by 2035
Moneycontrol India — 5:55 am ET (0955 GMT) |
