A rocket takes off from the Baikonur spaceport, Kazakhstan
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Fotino Capsule Failed to Reach Earth
The landing of Fotino microcapsule that carries the first results of experiments held at Foton-M3 satellite and was to reach the earth by using the 30km rope, has ended by failure, Interfax reported with reference to Nikolay Sokolov, who controls the Foton-M flight. Foton-M3 has been in orbit since September 14, 2007.
According to Sokolov, the rope started unwinding at the speed of 5 m/sec vs. the target 12 m/sec and stopped at 8.5km instead of the required 30km. Russia’s Mission Control Center delivered all commands clear and in time, and the question about experiment’s failure should be posed to European Space Agency, the official pointed out.
In time of experiment, Foton-M was in orbit of 260km to 300km, so Fotino didn’t reach the Earth atmosphere, Sokolov explained, supposing it turned into the space debris.
The YES (Young Engineers Satellite) experiment was developed by more than 500 students of Europe’s and Russia’s universities. As a result of it, the 6kg microcapsule Fotino was to head for the Earth by using a polyethylene rope of 30km and then, after its automatic cutting at both sides, to landed by parachute. The experiment was to test Europe’s system of returning light cargo from the orbit and the method of changing satellite orbits without rockets.
Foton-M is scheduled to land in Kazakhstan on September 26; it carries silkworm moths, mice, tritons, lizards, snails and cockroaches.
Foton-M3 weighs roughly 6.5 tons. It is the upgraded variant of Foton that had 12 successful launches from 1985. First time, Fotom-M successfully took off from Baikonur spaceport on May 31, 2005.
www.kommersant.com
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