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Russia’s Engine Rejected U.S. Satellite
Russia’s Emergency Commission has set to probing into the reasons of Proton-M’s failure to deliver the AMC-14 communication satellite to ideal orbit. The preliminary explanation is that the malfunction of Breeze M launcher’s engine at the second switch-on. Apart from Proton, the accident will probably delay the following launches of Rokot and Soyuz (commercial modification).
The AMC-14 orbit altitude was insufficient for transferring the satellite to the working orbit by using its own engines, representatives of SES AmeriCom that owns AMC-14 announced yesterday. The satellite is deemed lost and insurers will cover manufacturing and launching expenses of $200 million.
AMC-14 was manufactured by Canadian Lockheed Martin and designated to render telecom services in the continental United States and Canada.
The reason of the failure was probably malfunction of sustainer engine of Breeze M launcher that ensures satellite’s movement from the low orbit to the geo-transfer one, said a source with Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center. “According to telemetric information, the engine of C5.98M operated just 1,933 seconds instead of the estimated 2,066 seconds at the second switch. Sadly, it is actually the second similar failure of Breeze M in two years,” the source said.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 18, 2008
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