Author Topic: Proton-M Failure Reaction and Discussion Thread - July 2, 2013  (Read 185033 times)

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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One possible other explanation for the inverted yaw sensors: Complete lack of work ethic motivated by total lack of personal investment.  The sensors don't seem to fit? Instead of looking to see why they don't fit, just smash them into something resembling their proper place with physical force and mark the job as done.  After all, you've got lots of other stuff to do today and if you take too long on this job, it might be a bad mark on your record! Let alone the fact that attracting the supervisor's attention might mark you as a troublemaker! Anyway, it isn't as if you'll be anywhere near this thing if it blows up!

It's pretty much a stereotype of slapdash Soviet production methods being played out in front of the whole world.

The irony is that, in attempting to simply do the job in the allotted time without drawing official attention, the unknown technician is now the centre of the attention of the whole world!
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

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The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

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DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline Kabloona

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"... The space rocket's failed launch was due to an error during installation of three yaw-axis angular rate sensors on the Proton-M rocket ..."


Could someone please explain what is the presumed relation between
a reversed yaw rate input signal
and
the accelerated roll visible in videos ?



According to Anatoly Zak at russianspaceweb.com,  a normal roll program was initiated shortly after launch, but the inverted yaw sensors apparently exacerbated the roll as the GNC system tried to correct the attitude. Each engine has only 1 axis (tangential) vectoring, so as the GNC vectored the engines in an attempt to recover, they apparently induced unopposed roll  torques that accelerated the roll (my amplified interpretation of what Zak said).

Offline Kabloona

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This is just morbid curiosity on my part but have any pictures of the impact site been released?

http://russianspaceweb.com/images/rockets/proton/glonass49_crash/scanex_sat_photo_1.jpg

Online Satori

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This would be interesting if it was translated to English...


Offline Kabloona

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This would be interesting if it was translated to English...



Yes, anyone care to provide a 41-minute transcript in English? ::)

Offline russianhalo117

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This would be interesting if it was translated to English...



Yes, anyone care to provide a 41-minute transcript in English? ::)
Here is an updated summary from Mr. Zaks site:
Agency confirms key facts about the accident

On July 18, Roskosmos confirmed all key facts about the accident reported here previously. The agency's statement stressed that the launch vehicle did lift off 0.4 seconds earlier than scheduled, however the following analysis and simulations of the flight had shown that this situation could not had caused the accident. At the same time, the agency confirmed that the launch vehicle had lost stabilization along its course axis, as a result of the improper installation of the DUS angular velocity sensors 180 degrees away from their correct direction. The investigation revealed that three out of six DUS instruments had shown marks of force applied to their docking surfaces and post-accident simulations conducted on mockups of the system had left similar impressions, Roskosmos said.

The agency concluded that existing methods of quality control during ground preparations and testing (of the rocket) according to current design, technical and operational documentation had not allowed to detect the improper installation of DUS sensors and, therefore, the defect had had a manufacturing nature.

The investigation commission had still continued its work to determine the cause of the premature separation of electric interfaces of the launch pad (from the rocket), Roskosmos announced.

Flawed assembly process

The official statement by Roskosmos on July 18 was preceded by a press-conference of the investigation commission chairman Aleksandr Lopatin. Lopatin reported that the assembly of the failed Proton was completed at GKNPTs Khrunichev in December 2011 and remained in storage until May 2012, when it was delivered to Baikonur. The wrong installation of three DUS sensors responsible for the course correction took place on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. A pair of five-millimeter pins on the mounting platform are designed to guide the technician toward correct positioning of instruments, however with a certain effort it is possible to mount the instrument without those pins matching their correct positions. The installation process requires considerable skill of the worker, who has to access the installation site via half-a-meter hatch on the rocket.
« Last Edit: 07/18/2013 09:33 pm by russianhalo117 »

Online Satori

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This would be interesting if it was translated to English...



Yes, anyone care to provide a 41-minute transcript in English? ::)

Yes, maybe Roscosmos could do that taking into account that thos launcher is used for commercial purposes by ILS.

Offline Kabloona

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The installation process requires considerable skill of the worker, who has to access the installation site via half-a-meter hatch on the rocket.

And maybe the QA guy was too big to fit through a half-meter hatch.

Offline asmi

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Yes, maybe Roscosmos could do that taking into account that thos launcher is used for commercial purposes by ILS.
They likely will, but only once investigation is completed.

Here are key points:
1. The rocket has been assembled in the end of 2011, and was stored at the factory warehouse.
2. After receiving KP (lift-off) command vehicle's control system starts monitoring engines health, these checks are performed every 3 seconds. As the command came before engines were on nominal thrust, it initiated "away from pad" mode.
3. However after second check (at approximately T+2.6 seconds) engines did went on nominal thrust, so control system returned to normal guidance mode, and would've completed mission successfully - this was comfirmed by simulation.
4. Experiments have shown that DUS modules could be installed upside down, but this would require applying some force as there are pins that would be slightly off corresponding holes (they are a bit non-symmetric). In case of incorrect installation these pins would leave characteristic dents, and these very dents were found on the wreckage.
5. As factors that are making DUS installation harder, the worksite is quite hard-to-reach (workers have to work through opening of about 0.5 meters size). And while there is an arrow sign on the DUS unit itself, but no markings on the slot.
6. Currently this specific operation is not video- or photo-taped due to it's location, but this will be introduced.
7. Currently there is no method to verify weither installation was correct other than visual observation.
8. Combination of factors 4 to 7 suggest that the most likely explanation of incorrect installation was a worker's mistake. The fact that he was hired shortly before that also points to "human factor".
9. No evidence of willful incorrect installation has been found. They are going to pass all findings to the prosecution, however it looks like there won't be any serious concequencies for the worker at fault.
10. They've checked all other assembled rockets (it's not clear if he meant rockets that are in the factory's warehouse, or those at Baikonur) and DUS was installed correctly.
11. TM analysis indicates that DUS units themselves were healthy and operating properly (but in the wrong direction of course).
12. They've performed simulation run modelling DUS being upside down, and the rocket behaved just like it behaved in real life.
<my comment> While he didn't mention it explicitly, I have got an impression that the case of DUS is completely closed for now.
13. Although KP signal anomaly did not and could not by itself lead to the failure, the commission is going to figure it out as well before they give their approval for continuing lauches.
14. Approximate RTF date is "somewhere in September" (subject to previous point).
« Last Edit: 07/19/2013 01:34 am by asmi »

Offline 360-180

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DUS angular velocity sensor - ДУС датчик угловой скорости
angular rate sensor inside the unit PV-301 ПВ=301

Offline 360-180

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Engine trust angle profile

Offline ZachS09

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I think that since some people expect the Proton to retire soon after the crash, I agree with them. But when it comes to the launch window for the Nauka MLM module, I think a Soyuz 2-1b or an Angara rocket, if it's operational, can do the job.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline 360-180

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I think that since some people expect the Proton to retire soon after the crash, I agree with them. But when it comes to the launch window for the Nauka MLM module, I think a Soyuz 2-1b or an Angara rocket, if it's operational, can do the job.
Cause of the accident Proton is a manufacturing defect. Therefore, the accident will not affect the fate of Proton. Will be introduced high level of control of production and in September will be the next Proton launch
« Last Edit: 07/19/2013 11:44 am by 360-180 »

Offline Nicolas PILLET

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DUS angular velocity sensor - ДУС датчик угловой скорости
angular rate sensor inside the unit PV-301 ПВ=301

This picture is interesting. It seems that DUS type is TsE99-6SA. Probably close to the TsE99-1EA which is used on Fregat upper stage.

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lanceurs/fregat/tech/fregat/fregat.html (figure E3)
Nicolas PILLET
Kosmonavtika : The French site on Russian Space

Online owais.usmani

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Check out this gem from Rogozin:

http://ria.ru/science/20130718/950700399.html

Offline Targeteer

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From Facebook

Assembly workers suspected of breaching the Proton-M rocket assembly protocol will have to take polygraph tests, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin wrote on Twitter.

"Workers suspected of a gross violation of the Proton-M rocket assembly protocol will take lie detector tests. The Russian government is waiting for a Roscosmos report," he wrote.

The Proton-M rocket carrying three Glonass-M satellites blasted off from the 81st launch site in Baikonur on July 2.

It deviated from its designated trajectory almost immediately after takeoff, began falling into pieces in mid-air, crashed and exploded.

Voice of Russia, Interfax
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline Targeteer

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Another Roscosmos update from Facebook on launch rate

No more than five Proton-M rockets may be launched from Baikonur (Kazakhstan) before the end of this year if the launches resume in September, a Baikonur spokesman said.

"The number of launches is limited by the capacity of the station fueling Briz-M upper stages of Proton-M rockets. The station can fuel only one upper stage per month," he said.

If the first launch is made in early September and launch preparations begin on the first days of August, then it will be possible to fuel five Briz-M upper stages and make five launches before this year ends, the source said.

Launches of five satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) Multirole Laboratory Module are on the preliminary schedule, he said.

Astra 2E, which was supposed to be put into orbit on July 21, Sirius FM-6 scheduled for positioning on August 14, Russia's Cosmos defense satellite expected to be launched in early fall, Express AM5 intended for a late October launch and Inmarsat 5 F1 due to be delivered into orbit at the end of this year are waiting for their turn.

The launching of several satellites has been delayed until next year due to the Proton-M crash, the source said.

Same as it happened after the crash of 2011, commercial clients may demand a demonstration of the Proton-M's reliability with the launch of a Russian satellite.

"The Cosmos defense satellite or the Express-AM5 may be used for such testing," he said.

The Proton-M rocket carrying three Glonass-M satellites blasted off from the 81st launch site in Baikonur on July 2.

It deviated from its designated trajectory almost immediately after the takeoff, began falling into pieces in mid-air, fell and exploded upon impact.

Voice of Russia, Interfax
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline Danderman

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"The number of launches is limited by the capacity of the station fueling Briz-M upper stages of Proton-M rockets. The station can fuel only one upper stage per month," he said.


I presume this "station" is the carwash.

But, is this statement actually true? Have Protons recently been launched within 30 days of one another?

Offline 360-180

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DUS angular velocity sensor - ДУС датчик угловой скорости
angular rate sensor inside the unit PV-301 ПВ=301

This picture is interesting. It seems that DUS type is TsE99-6SA. Probably close to the TsE99-1EA which is used on Fregat upper stage.

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lanceurs/fregat/tech/fregat/fregat.html (figure E3)
Nicolas see please
http://www.zavod-zvezda.ru/produkciya.html

Offline renclod

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Engine trust angle profile

Are those
1/ commanded angles
or
2/ effected angles
?
edit: or 3/ not flight but simulation angles ?

Also, how about a chamber pressure profile ... any chance to be published  ?

« Last Edit: 07/19/2013 04:28 pm by renclod »

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