Author Topic: FAILURE: Proton-M launch with Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 - August 6, 2012  (Read 109615 times)

Offline kevin-rf

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Offline PDJennings

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According to an unnamed source in the Interdepartmental Commission (IDC) quoted by the Russian online newspaper Kommersant, the most probable cause of the failure is a mechanical damage to a Briz-M engine fuel line after the second burn.
According to the same source the ban on Proton-M/Briz-M launches will be lifted before the end of next week.
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1998005  (in Russian)

That was a pretty good article, though based on an anonymous source.  One interesting statement was that the suspect fuel line was removed and replaced at the launch site during the recent delay and troubleshooting.  The source said the commission was looking into whether this led to gasket problems.  FOD was considered unlikely.

Added: By implication, I think we are talking about a line on the Breeze M (Khrunichev responsibility), since as I recall most of the lines on the engine proper are welded.
« Last Edit: 08/09/2012 02:57 pm by PDJennings »

Offline Prober

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Medvedev to Name & Shame Failed Satellite Launch Officials

Not a witch hunt? Prayers go out to the proton team...

No wonder few young people wish to enter for jobs.   Going from a Million plus employees to this is just sad.

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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

According to Rui, this launch used Proton s/n 935-31 and Briz-M s/n 99532.
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Offline input~2

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After some shuffling, the 4 objects have now been catalogued as follows by USSTRATCOM:
   
  • 38744                             TELKOM 3             2012-044A
  • 38745                              EXPRESS MD2     2012-044B
  • 38746                              BREEZE-M R/B     2012-044C
  • 38747                              BREEZE-M DEB     2012-044D
  • « Last Edit: 02/06/2021 07:19 pm by gongora »

    Offline Stan Black

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    After some shuffling, the 4 objects have now been catalogued as follows by USSTRATCOM:
       
  • 38744                             TELKOM 3             2012-044A         
  • 38745                              EXPRESS MD2     2012-044B         
  • 38746                              BREEZE-M R/B     2012-044C         
  • 38747                              BREEZE-M DEB     2012-044D


  •  So Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 have separated from the Briz? And the fourth object is the spacer from between them?
    « Last Edit: 08/12/2012 07:21 am by Stan Black »

    Offline input~2

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    So Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 have separated from the Briz? And the fourth object is the spacer from between them?
    Yes they separated and the fourth object is the Briz tank (APT)
    Reference above
    http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317

    Offline Stan Black

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    So Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 have separated from the Briz? And the fourth object is the spacer from between them?
    Yes they separated and the fourth object is the Briz tank (APT)
    Reference above
    http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317

    If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.

    Offline input~2

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    So Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 have separated from the Briz? And the fourth object is the spacer from between them?
    Yes they separated and the fourth object is the Briz tank (APT)
    Reference above
    http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317

    If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
    You may have a point but in the case of Luch-5A/Amos-5 launch on December 11, 2011, the spacer was apparently not catalogued but it was catalogued for the SES-3/Kazsat-2 launch on July 15, 2011 and identified as such "BREEZE-M DEB (ADAPTOR) ";  the APT is normally identified as such "BREEZE-M DEB (TANK)"

    An RCS of 4.4mē  for the present BREEZE-M DEB seems to indicate an APT and not an adaptor (resp. 5.184mē and 0.003mē for the SES-3/Kazsat-2 launch)
    « Last Edit: 08/12/2012 01:43 pm by input~2 »

    Offline Stan Black

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     So Telkom-3 and Ekspress-MD2 have separated from the Briz? And the fourth object is the spacer from between them?
    Yes they separated and the fourth object is the Briz tank (APT)
    Reference above
    http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317

    If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
    You may have a point but in the case of Luch-5A/Amos-5 launch on December 11, 2011, the spacer was apparently not catalogued but it was catalogued for the SES-3/Kazsat-2 launch on July 15, 2011 and identified as such "BREEZE-M DEB (ADAPTOR) ";  the APT is normally identified as such "BREEZE-M DEB (TANK)"

    An RCS of 4.4mē  for the present BREEZE-M DEB seems to indicate an APT and not an adaptor (resp. 5.184mē and 0.003mē for the SES-3/Kazsat-2 launch)

     It is odd that the Briz-M suffered an abort but still proceeded to jettison the tank? Normally that would involve use of the four low-thrust settling/attitude control thruster units.

     Also there was no adaptor seperation event listed for Luch-5A/Amos-5.
    « Last Edit: 08/12/2012 05:21 pm by Stan Black »

    Offline input~2

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    Also there was no adaptor seperation event listed for Luch-5A/Amos-5.
    Yes it seems that there was no spent spacer for Luch-5A/Amos-5, hence no entry in the Catalog! ;)

    Offline Artyom.

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    Signal Found From Lost Indonesian Satellite !!!

    Quote
    "Contact with the satellite has been established and is being sustained," the Reshetnev rocket company, which built the craft, said in a press release. "The satellite is oriented toward the sun. A positive energy balance is being maintained onboard. The craft's solar panels have been opened."

    http://en.rian.ru/science/20120813/175186440.html

    Offline input~2

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    If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
    According to your sequence of events separation of a spacer between both satellites was indeed planned :)
    Quote
    Отделение КА Телком-33320007.08.201204:44:20
    Начало разворота на отделение проставки3360007.08.201204:51:00
    Отделение проставки3420007.08.201205:01:00
    Отделение КА Экспресс-МД23500007.08.201205:14:20
    « Last Edit: 08/13/2012 02:17 pm by input~2 »

    Offline zaitcev

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    Maybe it's just too small, for a piece of composite. The 0.003 m^2 equivalent corresponds to a metal ball about the size of a fist. It's a marvel that something like that can even be detected by a radar on the ground.

    Offline Stan Black

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    If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
    According to your sequence of events separation of a spacer between both satellites was indeed planned :)
    Quote
    Отделение КА Телком-33320007.08.201204:44:20
    Начало разворота на отделение проставки3360007.08.201204:51:00
    Отделение проставки3420007.08.201205:01:00
    Отделение КА Экспресс-МД23500007.08.201205:14:20

     That is what I am trying to point out. Why did the tank separate after an abort situation. Normally that would involve use of the four low-thrust settling/attitude control thruster units.

    Offline input~2

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    "Source: Failure in the pressurized fuel path caused Proton failure"

    http://www.ria.ru/science/20120813/722713743.html  (in Russian)

    Offline PDJennings

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    "Source: Failure in the pressurized fuel path caused Proton failure"

    http://www.ria.ru/science/20120813/722713743.html  (in Russian)

    Sounds more like a tank pressurization line that failed, but the result was the same.
    « Last Edit: 08/13/2012 06:18 pm by PDJennings »

    Offline butters

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    So... bad weld?

    Offline Prober

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    2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
    "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

    Offline xm11

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    maybe it lost fuel
    unknow how satellite can be camstomer service maybe hanf time

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