One Russian rocket that was carrying 3 navigation satellites around $200M worth crashed only some time after the lift-off over Baikonur facility of launch that’s Russian-leased in Kazakhstan after the engine switched off suddenly on Tuesday.
Accident caused large heptyl spill, much toxic propellant of rocket, though there weren’t any reports of the casualties or any sudden threat to the settlements nearby.Footage was shown of booster rocket of Proton M veering off the course only seconds after the take-off. Horizontally, it flew and started to separate in flames then crashing in fire ball near launch pad.
Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia, who said that 10 satellites are lost by Russia in 7 failed launches just in 1 year and ordered tight controls to be put to avoid any other embarrassing mishaps.
This crash, echoing expensive loss of 3 navigation satellites during 2010, would further damage reputation of the once-pioneering Russia’s space program, causing delays in the launches as well as threaten hold over some 40% of market for the space launches.Roscosmos, the space agency of Russia said that accident was caused by switch-off that was immediate of rocket’s engines seventeen seconds into flight. Shutdown could be caused by some problem with guidance system or engine.
Rocket contained much toxic propellant of heptyl around 1.102 tons, as told by Vladimir Bozkho, Emergencies Minister of Kazakh.
Head of Kazcosmos, space agency of Kazakhstan, Talgat Musabayev, said that nitric oxide, product to burn heptyl, was quite less toxic to the humans. According to him, it rained in that area, so the toxic clouds probably wouldn’t reach Baikonur town around thirty-eight miles away.
Anyway, authorities instructed the locals that they should stay at their homes and not open windows. Public catering and shops were ordered to be closed too.Approximate loss from 3 satellites for navigation system of Glonass satellite was around $200M.It is planned by Russia to spend above $9.1bn by the year 2020 on the Glonass, its reply to US GPS.
This system, conceived first by Soviet Union about forty years back, is plagued by the failed launches that include one in the year 2010 when the 3 satellites also got lost and due to suspicions of embezzlement and corruption. Last year, the chief designer got dismissed during one investigation of fraud.
Proton rocket of Russia that’s workhorse, known at that time under the code of UR-500, made the 1st test flights during mid-1960s.Originally it was designed as ballistic intercontinental missile for carrying one nuclear warhead that was targeting Cold War enemy of Soviet Union, US. Though, it wasn’t deployed ever as nuclear weapon.
Many Proton rockets crashes accompanied by the heptyl spills led to the temporary relations’ strains between Kazakhstan and Russia.Spending on the space and the plans of sending one probe to moon in the year 2015 is done by Russia though pioneering program which put 1st man in the space in the year 1961 was plagued in the recent years due to setbacks, also including botched launches of satellites and failed attempt of sending probe to one moon of the Mars.