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Russian Rocket Crashes In Siberia

Posted by Soulskill on from the space-stuff-is-hard dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A Russian Proton-M rocket carrying a Mexican satellite broke down shortly after launch and crashed in Siberia. Russian space agency Roscosmos is investigating the incident, but the cause is not yet known. In the video, the rocket appeared to sputter and stop providing thrust when the third-stage engine unexpectedly switched off. Communications were lost with the rocket before that happened. This comes just a couple weeks after Russia experienced another high profile rocket failure when its cargo ship bound for the International Space Station failed to reach a high enough orbit and began spinning out of control. Russia's Proton family of rockets has been in use since the 1960s, though the current Proton-M incarnation was first flown in 2001.

4 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. and yet, the GOP blocks private space. by WindBourne · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The GOP continues to gut funding for development of manned private space launch, but will continue to pour money into the SLS, AND having Russia do the manned launches. Fucking insane

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    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    1. Re:and yet, the GOP blocks private space. by WindBourne · · Score: 2, Interesting

      LOL.
      First, All of America's gov. sats use American launchers. 2 launchers use Russian parts, of which 1 of them blew up several months ago.
      Secondly, SpaceX's F9 is SAFER, and MUCH CHEAPER than the Russian Rockets. In addition, within another year, they will be even cheaper again. Right now, SpaceX has over 1/2 of the commercial launch business that is available for the future.

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      I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
  2. Re:Strange quality problems by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So, it's our fault that the Russians can't successfully launch a Russian rocket from a Russian launch site?

    Interesting theory, that.

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    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  3. Re:Mexico? by hawguy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Mexico has, er, "had" a satelite?? I found that surprising.

    I was surprised too and wondered why they just didn't contract out to buy time on someone else's satellite since a billion dollars over the 15 year projected lifetime of the satellites will buy a lot of satellite time. Turns out it's for "National Security Needs", which I guess means they don't trust anyone else to provide service, though if the USA reneges on a deal to provide national security satellite services to them, Mexico has far bigger problems to worry about.

    The NSA is going to intercept their data whether they have their own satellite or not -- it was bought from Boeing, so the NSA will certainly have full access to the Satellite during construction.

    http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_...