subject: Three Russian Glonass Satellites Crash Into Pacific Ocean, No Severe Damage To Navigation System Cau [print this page] Three Russian satellites launched earlier Sunday have crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii Islands after falling off course, RIA news agency reported.
Russia's space agency Roscosmos is not available for confirmation at present.
According to the latest information gained by RIA Novosti, the upper stage of the Proton-M rocket carrier and three Glonass-M navigation satellites have fallen into the sea area 1500 km northwest of Honolulu, causing no casualties nor damages.
Interfax said in a latest report the crash might be caused by stronger propulsive force of the Proton-M rocket, which deviated from its planned course to eight degrees.
"The rocket's engine gave a much bigger impetus than planned, and the orbiting unit separated at an altitude much higher than the designated one," the source was quoted as saying.
The crash, though unconfirmed, may not produce severe damage to its Glonass navigation system and the 26 satellites currently in orbit and their spare satellites are capable of securing the signals to cover the Russian territory, the report said, quoting an official from the Defense Ministry.
A special committee was already set up to investigate the case, Interfax reported.
The Proton-M rocket blasted off from Kazakh Baikonur space center with three Glonass-M satellites atop at 01:25 p.m. Moscow time (1125 GMT) Sunday. The satellites were expected to be put into orbit at about 04:27 p.m. Moscow time (1427 GMT) and thus to complete the formation of the Russian Glonass satellites constellation.
The Sunday launch was the 11th Proton launch this year. The previous ten launches, including two that positioned Glonass navigation satellites, were successful.
Glonass is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), which is designed for both military and civilian use.
Three Russian satellites launched earlier Sunday have crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii Islands after falling off course, RIA news agency reported.
Russia's space agency Roscosmos is not available for confirmation at present.
According to the latest information gained by RIA Novosti, the upper stage of the Proton-M rocket carrier and three Glonass-M navigation satellites have fallen into the sea area 1500 km northwest of Honolulu, causing no casualties nor damages.
Interfax said in a latest report the crash might be caused by stronger propulsive force of the Proton-M rocket, which deviated from its planned course to eight degrees.
"The rocket's engine gave a much bigger impetus than planned, and the orbiting unit separated at an altitude much higher than the designated one," the source was quoted as saying.
The crash, though unconfirmed, may not produce severe damage to its Glonass navigation system and the 26 satellites currently in orbit and their spare satellites are capable of securing the signals to cover the Russian territory, the report said, quoting an official from the Defense Ministry.
A special committee was already set up to investigate the case, Interfax reported.
The Proton-M rocket blasted off from Kazakh Baikonur space center with three Glonass-M satellites atop at 01:25 p.m. Moscow time (1125 GMT) Sunday. The satellites were expected to be put into orbit at about 04:27 p.m. Moscow time (1427 GMT) and thus to complete the formation of the Russian Glonass satellites constellation.
The Sunday launch was the 11th Proton launch this year. The previous ten launches, including two that positioned Glonass navigation satellites, were successful.
Glonass is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), which is designed for both military and civilian use.
