Russian spacecraft crashes in South Siberia after engine failure

[News_Editor]

Russian spacecraft crashes in South Siberia after engine failure

2011-08-25 08:37:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOSCOW (BNO NEWS) -- Debris of an unmanned Russian space freighter fell in South Siberia after the spacecraft failed to reach the designated orbit due to a rocket engine failure on Wednesday, officials said on early Thursday.

The wreckage of the Progress M-12M space freighter fell in the Choya District of South Siberia's Altai Republic at around 5.25 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the Ria Novosti news agency reported.

The Russian Progress M-12M was launched aboard the Soyuz-U carrier rocket from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). The space freighter was scheduled to separate from the carrier rocket at 5:09 p.m. local time when it sent a breakdown report.

The Russian Federal Space Agency, commonly called Roscosmos, said they received a breakdown report from the Progress M-12M before it left the radio coverage zone. Mission Control was unable to receive any telemetry data from the spacecraft after that moment, which was 325 seconds into the flight.

According to the agency, the reported engine failure made it impossible for the spacecraft to achieve the required orbital velocity and it fell down to Earth.

After the Progress spacecraft accident, Russia may fail to deliver crews to the ISS as planned. A source in Russia's space industry told Ria Novosti that scheduled launches of Soyuz rockets are likely to be suspended until the reasons of the accident are established.

After the retirement of the U.S. shuttle fleet earlier this summer, Russian Soyuz craft became the only way for astronauts to reach the ISS until at least the middle of the decade. NASA is paying its Russian counterpart Roscosmos more than $1 billion for crew transport services over the next four years.

The Progress space freighter was set to deliver 2.7 tons of food, medical and scientific equipment, and other items to the ISS. But Roscosmos promised that the supply operation's failure would not seriously affect the ISS crew, saying there's enough food on board to sustain the crew for a "long time." However, a new crew will not be able to replace the current ISS crew on time and they will have to stay at the station longer than planned.

Russian cosmonauts Andrei Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyayev and Sergei Volkov, as well as NASA astronauts Ronald Garan and Michael Fossum and Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa are currently working on the ISS.

The next Progress cargo ship will not fly to the ISS before late September, early October, Gennady Raikunov, head of the Central Scientific Research Institute of Machine Manufacturing, said.

Russia has carried out more than 130 successful launches of Progress space freighters since they entered service in 1972. This is the first loss of a Progress freighter in the history of Russia's space industry.

However, it is the second spacecraft loss for the Russian space industry within just a week. On August 18, the Express AM-4 telecommunications satellite failed to separate from the Proton-M carrier rocket and could not reach the designated orbit.

A special commission has been created from representatives of Roscosmos and other space industry organizations to investigate both accidents.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-25

[koheesti]

However, it is the second spacecraft loss for the Russian space industry within just a week.

And not long after the only other way to get to the ISS - the Space Shuttle - was discontinued. One small step backward for mankind.

[geriatrickid]

However, it is the second spacecraft loss for the Russian space industry within just a week.

And not long after the only other way to get to the ISS - the Space Shuttle - was discontinued. One small step backward for mankind.

And the USA has had its own vehicles crash with the most recent loss a TaurusXL in March. $424 million into the ocean.

[koheesti]

However, it is the second spacecraft loss for the Russian space industry within just a week.

And not long after the only other way to get to the ISS - the Space Shuttle - was discontinued. One small step backward for mankind.

And the USA has had its own vehicles crash with the most recent loss a TaurusXL in March. $424 million into the ocean.

True, but the USA isn't being relied upon to get astronauts to the ISS - Russia is.

[flying]

And not long after the only other way to get to the ISS - the Space Shuttle - was discontinued. One small step backward for mankind.

Yes sadly the US chooses to cut funding on something that may have a positive purpose while increasing those that

have only negative purposes.

[bonobo]

And not long after the only other way to get to the ISS - the Space Shuttle - was discontinued. One small step backward for mankind.

Yes sadly the US chooses to cut funding on something that may have a positive purpose while increasing those that

have only negative purposes.

Agreed.

[geriatrickid]

The funding cuts are courtesy of the tea party backers. NASA comes under discretionary spending and it is this spending that has been savaged by the demand for reduced spending. Close a few redundant military bases and there will be more than enough money.

[flying]

While I agree with closing all redundant off shore bases I think it is off base (no pun ) to blame a minority for this NASA cut.

At times I get tired of the rhetoric many try to inject at every turn.

The reasons things of value are now being cut cannot be attributed to a few freshmen. It is not as if they made any cuts at all. To stand pat on no more raises of spending limits that the government can already not pay does not equate to NASA funds being cut.

The government itself is out of control & swollen to shameful size.

The Military Industrial Complex is right in there with all their unfunded liabilities

Anyway........off topic enough.

As for the Space program there was much yet to be gained & learned from it.

As an amateur astronomer I am sorry to see it go.

Edited August 26, 2011 by flying

[chuckd]

The funding cuts are courtesy of the tea party backers. NASA comes under discretionary spending and it is this spending that has been savaged by the demand for reduced spending. Close a few redundant military bases and there will be more than enough money.

I have been unable to find any reference to the Tea Party Movement wanting to cut NASA.

Can you provide some source material?

[bkkjames]

Does anyone have a list of all the 'good things' that have been discovered/developed at ISS? Although one might think I am being sarcastic, really I am not-just interested.

[flying]

Does anyone have a list of all the 'good things' that have been discovered/developed at ISS? Although one might think I am being sarcastic, really I am not-just interested.

To tell you the truth I have not followed the ISS info all that much but...

I have always thought of it as a learning experience. Letting those who dock there learn how to live in that environment & its

effects on them. As such I never really expected big revelations. Instead I think of them as space cave men learning to live.

Although I am sure there is also much to be learned from viewing space from that vantage point.

The American lab there is called Destiny. They for instance have the biggest window on the station.

They named it Nadir it was 20" & optically perfect. 20" of optically perfect is a large lens.

That in itself would be something to see.

So with it they can observe the earth without aberrations. The view must be incredible.

Here is an older article that describes a bit of what other countries docked labs do there

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-big-question-has-the-space-station-achieved-anything-or-is-it-a-waste-of-money-1028133.html

Also NASA's site

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

I think most folks would say the costs exceeded the benefits but IMHO it is nice to see a place where so many nations can & did work together.

I am sure the scientist shared info & findings with each other to some degree. If nothing else that was a big positive IMO

Edited August 27, 2011 by flying