ILS Declares
Proton Launch Anomaly
December 8, 2012
Khrunichev State Research and
Production Space Center (Khrunichev) and International Launch
Services (ILS) regret to announce an anomaly during the
launch of the Yamal 402 satellite. The
satellite had been built by
Thales Alenia Space for Russian satellite operator, Gazprom Space
Systems.
The Proton Breeze M rocket lifted off at 7:13 p.m. today local time
from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying the Yamal 402 satellite.
Preliminary flight information indicates that the 4th and
final burn of the Breeze M
engine ended about four minutes early and subsequently
separated the spacecraft.
Thales Alenia Space is recalculating all the Launch
Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) parameters in order
to propose the possible recovery plans to Gazprom Space Systems.
A Russian State Commission will begin the process of determining the
reasons for the anomaly. ILS will release details when data becomes
available. In parallel with the State Commission, ILS will form its
own Failure Review Oversight Board (FROB). The FROB will review the
commission’s final report and corrective action plan, in accord with
U.S. and Russian government export control regulations.
ILS will work diligently to identify the cause and implement
corrective actions. Additional information
will be provided as it becomes available.
