When European Space Agency mission controllers received confirmation that the the ExMars probe had successfully separated from the upper stage of the Proton rocket which boosted it to orbit, they no doubt breathed a particularly deep sigh of relief. Everyone had to be aware that the decision to use Russia’s Proton as the launch vehicle, […]
Source: RIA Novosti, Russianspaceweb A Russian built Proton rocket successfully lifted off from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Operated by International Launch Services, the booster blasted off shortly before midnight at 23:06 Moscow time, (7:06 pm GMT) and placed the Space Systems/Loral SatMex-8 telecommunications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit with 5 burns of the Briz-M upperstage. The flight was the first […]
Source: Russianspaceweb.com The year 2012 was a difficult one for the Russian space program, which ended on a sour note when its workhorse Proton boosted placed a Yamal-402 satellite in the wrong orbit. It was eventually boosted to the correct orbit using onboard fuel, albeit at a cost to its expected lifespan. This came on the heals of […]
Sources: RIA Novosti, Spacepolicyonline.com Investigation of a December 8 launch incident which saw a Proton booster deliver the Yamal 402 satellite to the wrong orbit has focused on a failed turbopump bearing in the Briz-M upper stage. Although the satellite was eventually boosted to the proper orbit using its own on-board propellant, the mission saving manuever did not come without a cost, most likely […]
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