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Probe shows manufacturer responsible for Glonass loss

© RIA NovostiProbe shows manufacturer responsible for Glonass loss
Probe shows manufacturer responsible for Glonass loss - Sputnik International
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The recent loss of three Glonass-M satellites in space was the result of a series of mistakes made by the Russian Energia rocket corporation, the head of the Russian state commission probing the incident said on Friday.

The recent loss of three Glonass-M satellites in space was the result of a series of mistakes made by the Russian Energia rocket corporation, the head of the Russian state commission probing the incident said on Friday.

"The preliminary results of the investigation commission indicate that Energia miscalculated how much fuel needed to be loaded into the DM-3 rocket booster," said investigation commission head Gennady Raikunov, who also leads the Central Scientific Research Institute of Machine Building.

"The amount of oxidant exceeded the norm by 1-1.5 tons and excessive weight prevented the Proton-M rocket from putting the satellites into calculated orbit," the official said.

He added that the company's management had not carried out all the necessary pre-launch safety procedures and had failed to spot the mistake in calculations.

The December 5 launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket was supposed to conclude the forming of Russia's Glonass navigation system, a project is similar to GPS in the United States.

However, the rocket, which blasted off from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, deviated from its course by eight degrees, resulting in the loss of the delivery vehicle with the satellites when it fell into the Pacific Ocean to the northwest of Hawaii.

Russia has switched on two reserve Glonass-M satellites in orbit to compensate for the ones that were lost.

MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti)

 

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