Russian Proton: Launch Anomaly

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Russian Federal Mission with TELKOM 3 and EXPRESS MD2 Satellites Anomaly

Investigation Underway; Russian State Commission Established

On 7 August at 1:31 a.m. local time, a Proton Breeze M vehicle carrying the Express MD2 and Telkom 3 satellites launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Proton M launch vehicle performed nominally, however, the Orbital Unit (OU), comprised of the Breeze M upper stage and the two spacecraft, did not properly reach its transfer orbit and was placed into an off-nominal intermediate orbit. The Aerospace Defense and Roscosmos, are currently monitoring the OU and efforts are now underway to establish contact with the Express MD2 and Telkom 3 satellites.

An investigation into the anomaly began immediately. A Russian State Commission of inquiry has been established and is in the process of determining the reasons for the anomaly. ILS will release details when data become available. While this was a Russian Federal mission, ILS will form its own Failure Review Oversight Board (FROB) in parallel with the Russian State Commission. The FROB will review the commission’s final report and corrective action plan, in accordance with U.S. and Russian government export control regulations.

ILS remains committed to providing reliable, timely launch services for all its customers. To this end, ILS will work diligently with its partner Khrunichev to return Proton to flight as soon as possible.

Further updates will be provided on the investigation as they become available.

Source

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Space Agency Chief Denies Staff Changes after Proton Failure

Vladimir Popovkin, the head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, on Tuesday denied staff changes in the agency following Monday’s loss of two telecommunications satellites.

“Statements by unnamed space and rocket industry officials on personnel decisions allegedly already being made regarding a number of executives, posted in a number of media, are untrue,” Popovkin said, without specifying the media.

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Wayward Satellites to Orbit for Months - Space Source

Russia’s Briz-M booster, which failed to put two satellites into their target orbit, is likely to keep flying in space for up to five months before sinking into the thicker layers of the atmosphere, a rocket industry source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

Russia launched a Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M booster carrying the Telkom-3 and the Express MD2 satellites on Monday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. However, the booster and the two satellites failed to reach the designated orbit due to a possible engine mishap.

According to U.S. Strategic Command, there are currently four objects with virtually identical orbits following the Proton-M launch.

RIA Novosti’s source suggested that these four objects are the booster, an additional fuel tank, and the two satellites.

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Fuel Pipe to Blame for Proton Launch Failure - Source

Monday's failed satellite launch was caused by a fault in a fuel pipe, Kommersant daily reported on Thursday, citing a source in the government inquiry.

The source said telemetry showed that pressure in the Briz-M upper stage fell sharply following the vehicle's second burn, causing the Proton-M rocket, carrying two communications satellites, to spin out of control.

The launch was scheduled to utilize four burns of the Briz-M to put Indonesia's Telkom-3 and Russia's Express MD2 satellites into orbit.

The Briz-M's fuel pipe might have been "mechanically damaged" or held some foreign objects, the inquiry source said.

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