Medvedev to Name & Shame Failed Satellite Launch Officials
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)
Quote from: input~2 on 08/09/2012 12:42 pmMedvedev to Name & Shame Failed Satellite Launch OfficialsNot a witch hunt? Prayers go out to the proton team...
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?
Quote from: Stan Black on 08/12/2012 07:18 am 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 abovehttp://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317
Quote from: input~2 on 08/12/2012 12:46 pmQuote from: Stan Black on 08/12/2012 07:18 am 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 abovehttp://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
Quote from: Stan Black on 08/12/2012 12:55 pmQuote from: input~2 on 08/12/2012 12:46 pmQuote from: Stan Black on 08/12/2012 07:18 am 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 abovehttp://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27791.msg939317#msg939317If 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)
Also there was no adaptor seperation event listed for Luch-5A/Amos-5.
"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."
If the tank did separate; then the spacer is missing.
Отделение КА Телком-33320007.08.201204:44:20Начало разворота на отделение проставки3360007.08.201204:51:00Отделение проставки3420007.08.201205:01:00Отделение КА Экспресс-МД23500007.08.201205:14:20
Quote from: Stan Black on 08/12/2012 12:55 pmIf 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 QuoteОтделение КА Телком-33320007.08.201204:44:20Начало разворота на отделение проставки3360007.08.201204:51:00Отделение проставки3420007.08.201205:01:00Отделение КА Экспресс-МД23500007.08.201205:14:20
"Source: Failure in the pressurized fuel path caused Proton failure"http://www.ria.ru/science/20120813/722713743.html (in Russian)
So... bad weld?