Proton Rocket Fails to Put ArabSat Satellite in Proper Orbit
Proton-M Rocket.
Image source: Space Daily
A SpaceFlight Now article by Justin Ray, via Space.com, reports that:
A Russian-made rocket booster malfunctioned during launch Tuesday, leaving an Arab telecommunications satellite below its intended Earth orbit and dealing a harsh blow to the commercial space industry.More here.
The Proton M rocket roared off pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2010 GMT (3:10 p.m. EST) carrying the ARABSAT 4A spacecraft. The commercial mission was managed by International Launch Services, the joint U.S.-Russian firm that markets Proton and American Atlas rockets.
About 10 minutes into the flight, the three lower stages of the Proton had completed their systematic firings and dropped away as planned. That left the Khrunichev-built Breeze M upper stage and attached satellite payload flying an initial suborbital trajectory.
posted by Fergie @ 3/01/2006 07:41:00 AM
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