Launch News (FAILURE) Telkom-3 and Express MD-2, Proton-M/Breeze-M, August 6/7, 2012

[Cosmic Penguin]

Back on August 3rd.......

 

[icedown]

Any extended grounding if either the Proton or the Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket would affect multiple commercial satellite operators’ growth plans. The Ariane 5 recently completed its 50th consecutive success since 2003.

Why the Ariane 5? Does it carry the Briz-M upper stage also?

 

[N_Molson]

Why the Ariane 5? Does it carry the Briz-M upper stage also?

No. Ariane is a fully european program.

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/arie5eca.htm

Why a Proton failure affects Ariane 5 ? Because they are in competition. It means even more buisness for Ariane 5.

 

[garyw]

Nope -> http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/ariane5v.htm

Stage 2. 1 x Ariane 5 EPS L10. Gross Mass: 12,750 kg (28,100 lb). Empty Mass: 2,750 kg (6,060 lb). Thrust (vac): 27.400 kN (6,160 lbf). Isp: 324 sec. Burn time: 1,100 sec. Diameter: 3.96 m (12.99 ft). Span: 5.46 m (17.91 ft). Length: 3.36 m (11.02 ft). Propellants: N2O4/MMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: Aestus. Status: Production. Comments: 250 kg additional propellant compared to Ariane 5G version.

 

[icedown]

Thanks, I didn't think it did, but I didn't see why they put it that way.

Grounding or not, this is probably still going to affect it. If not at the company choice level, then the insurance companies are probably going to start looking at their policies regarding these launch vehicles.

 

[N_Molson]

Ah but those are russian insurance companies

 

[orb]

RIA Novosti: Wayward Satellites to Orbit for Months - Space Source:

MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russia’s Briz-M booster, which failed to put two satellites into their target orbit, is likely to keep flying in space for up to five months before sinking into the thicker layers of the atmosphere, a rocket industry source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

{...}

According to U.S. Strategic Command, there are currently four objects with virtually identical orbits following the Proton-M launch.

RIA Novosti’s source suggested that these four objects are the booster, an additional fuel tank, and the two satellites.

“They have separated, so there was some control impact and the command and control system was functional,” the source said, adding that satellite control systems should also have been activated.

“They should respond to commands.”

{...}

 

[icedown]

Ah but those are russian insurance companies

Ahh, didn't know that. So they will be a lot more forgiving given the circumstances. Good, I don't want to see their space program hurt due to this, though I do expect them to do something about it.

 

[N_Molson]

Well, that was clearly stated :

Russian insurance company Ingosstrakh will pay 1,177,149,000 Roubles of coverage on the lost Express-MD2 satellite (source). This company already paid over 7.5 billion roubles last January for the lost Express-AM44 satellite.

Russian insurance company Alpha-Strakhovaniye will pay 7.5 million Dollars out of the full total 185 million Dollars shared between few internation insurers to cover expenses of the Indonesian PTT company which it suffered due to loosing of Telkom-3 satellite (source).

 

[icedown]

:facepalm: I've gotta pay more attention.

But also the Telkom-3 was only insured about 4% by the Russian company.

 

[garyw]

But also the Telkom-3 was only insured about 4% by the Russian company.

Yes, space is a risky business and that's probably all that could afford plus with the other failures I'll bet that the premiums have gone up.

Certainly there is a chance that insurance companies may well refuse to insure Russian rockets with Briz-M upper stages. Who knows at this stage but certainly there is a problem.

 

[orb]

RIA Novosti: Fuel Pipe to Blame for Proton Launch Failure - Source

 

[Scav]

RIA Novosti: Fuel Pipe to Blame for Proton Launch Failure - Source

Well, at least it wasn't the cosmic radiation this time.

 

[achyarnurandi]

Have you heard both of them found it 5000 km distance from earth?
I read from Indonesian News Page. But I need clarification and information from you guys.
Thanks

 

[SiberianTiger]

Have you heard both of them found it 5000 km distance from earth?
I read from Indonesian News Page. But I need clarification and information from you guys.
Thanks

It's more correct to say that now apogee altitude above ground of the satellites and the upper stage are at about 5000 km. But saying "finding" seems inappropriate, because no one was loosing track of them.

 

[Urwumpe]

Damn, another black day for the Russian spaceflight program... looks like the quality assurance doesn't yet show effects.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Damn, another black day for the Russian spaceflight program... looks like the quality assurance doesn't yet show effects.

Imagine a herd of Apatosauri trying to pasture at an Alpine meadow. Somehow their herdsman holds them dear and he's got a cistern of algae mush and from time to time pumps it straight to their stomachs to help them staying alive. But otherwise the enveavour doesn't look promising. That's a picture of Russian space enterprises whose organizational structure and technology chains was coined in the USSR, and who now forced to survive in a market environment dictated by few banks and monopolies and pressing international competition.

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/?cid=news&nid=1542

Working with TELKOM 3 satellite in an abnormal orbit

Two-side communications have been established with the spacecraft which was put to abnormal orbit by Proton-M/Briz-M launch. Reshetnev ISS LCC, the designer and manufacturer of the spacecraft, is tracking its status.

The satellite maintains sun-facing attitude. A positive energy balance is maintained on board. The solar arrays are deployed. Telemetry analysis tells that all satellite's service systems are functioning properly. However, due to its location in the wrong orbit, the satellite's utilization for telecommunication servicing is impossible.

http://ria.ru/science/20120813/722607241.html

Nikolay Testoyedov, head of Reshetnev firm told media that TELKOM-3 spacecraft may be used as a testbed for the new bus' technology testing, if agreement with the Indonesian provider is reached.

 

[Eccentrus]

well, at least it will be put into some use then, not just reduced into another useless garbage, I'm all for it.

 

[SiberianTiger]

So... According to NK forum talks, Helium feeding pressure deteriorated in fuel tank in-between burns #2 and #3, because of: (1) clogging of the calibration orifice in the feeding pipe with foreign particles or even (2) installation of a wrong type of that orifice.

The orifice problem was suspected, but founding that the case (2) is true would have meant that the entire production lot of Breezes had to be disassembled and reassembled with a correct type of orifice, and that meant grounding any commercial Proton launches for more than a year, probably two years.

So they preferred to turn blind on the problem and just let it fly. :facepalm: