Russia stopped the launches of “Proton” because of an accident with a Mexican companion – RBC

The launch of “Proton-M”. Archival photo

Photo: RIA Novosti

The fact that starts “Proton-M” will be suspended, according to “Interfax” citing a source in the space industry. According to the source, will be moved to the planned early June launch of British satellite «Inmarsat-3-5F».

Tass source in the space industry said that after investigating the cause of the accident with the Mexican MexSat-1 satellite will be completed, launches of “Proton-M” is likely to be resumed with the Russian satellite, because “after the incident, none of the foreign customers will not solve risk their spacecraft to the launch of the demonstration.” For this purpose can be selected Russian communications satellite “Express AM8».

In Roskosmos reported that the reason for abnormality in flight “Proton-M” being investigated. According to Tass, the commission on investigation of the incident will be created in the next few hours.

The rocket carrier “Proton-M” was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 8:47 MSK. It was reported that “Proton-M” and the upper stage “Breeze-M” must withdraw MexSat-1 into geostationary orbit of an apogee altitude of about 35 thousand. 79 km. The satellite was made by concern Boeing commissioned Mexican authorities.

abnormal situation has arisen for a minute before the estimated time of separating the upper stage “Briz-M” and the satellite. First, with the rocket stopped coming telemetry, and then there was an emergency engine shut-off of the third stage.

According to Interfax, the rocket could fall on the territory of Trans-Baikal Territory. At the same time the spokesman notes that the tanks upper stage “Breeze-M” fell to Earth, it was about 10 tons of toxic fuel components. According to a source, “third-stage engine is not completely finalized, propulsion upper stage all the work did not start.” It clarifies the RIA Novosti news agency, it is a poisonous fuel heptyl, which fall under the third stage of the launch vehicle could get into the atmosphere. As RIA Novosti reported with reference to the representative of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, death and destruction at the crash site, “Proton” no.