The second failure of a Proton launcher in four months, and with it the loss of a satellite Russia badly needed, has left the hard pressed Russian satellite communications industry in a dire state. Interspace examines the consequences of the failure, both for the Russian launch industry and Russia’s satellite fleet…
The November 27 failure of Proton-K launcher carrying an Express-A satellite for Russian coverage from 80 degrees East will have a number of important repercussions.
First, the failure has meant that the Baikonur launch base is closed once again, for any kind of launch. The last such closure followed the loss of a Proton carrying a Raduga military communications satellite on July 5. The cause of failure was very similar to that which apparently brought about the latest incident: a failure of one of the four engines of the second stage of the four-stage rocket. A failure review board set up by International Launch Services (ILS) (the Lockheed Martin/Khrunichev joint venture which handles "export" launches using Proton and Atlas vehicles) double-checked the findings of the Russian commission. They agreed that the main cause of failure was a burn-through of a weld seam on the turbopump cover and nozzle.
It seems that the Kazakh government – Baikonur is in Kazakhstan and both launchers fell on Kazakh territory – is taking a much more serious view of this second, similar failure in less than four months. No-one was injured in either event, but apparently some damage to buildings was caused by last week’s failure. There was also alleged ground contamination caused by toxic propellants.
Reportedly, it cost the Russian government about $0.27 million in cash paid to Kazakhstan to get the site reopened in late August, and the amount levied this time around will be higher. The worst-case situation would be for the base to remain closed until the new Angara launcher is available (this burns kerosine and liquid oxygen, more environmentally friendly fuels) but could take years. It is believed this is unlikely to happen.
Two failures of government-sponsored domestic missions could revive old allegations that Khrunichev produces two varieties of Proton: one for ILS’ ‘export’ missions and an inferior model for Russian customers. This is strongly denied, but it remains possible that the latter missions get assigned older vehicles. It seems likely that there was a faulty batch of second stage engines, and it is hoped that no more of them will be used.
It has to be noted, however, that the first launch after the July stand-down – two Yamal satellites for the domestic customer Gazkom, used a "Russian grade" Proton and was successful. The fact that one satellite ceased operating once it was in orbit is irrelevant.
The following Proton flight on September 27 was of LMI-1 for Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI), now part of LM Global Telecommunications. This was performed by ILS and was succesful.
After the failed Express-A1 launch last week, the next planned missions were for launching Garuda-1, the first of the GEO-mobile satellites for Asia Cellular Satellite Systems, and Eutelsat’s SESAT.
Garuda-1 was initially set for October 21, then put back for ten days initially, and just before the latest incident was again postponed to an unrelated need to replace the top Block DM stage, Now both are on indefinite hold. Also suspended are the planned and often-postponed flight of the next Zvezda service module for the International Space Station (now planned for February), and that of a Progress carrying fuel to de-orbit Mir.
More peripherally involved is the new Khrunichev-designed Breeze-M upper stage for Proton, This has been launched once (on the July Raduga flight) but of course did not get fired much less achieve orbit. ILS declines to use the Breeze until the Russians have tested it.
Meanwhile, what about the lost Express-A and its disappointed customers? This was to have been the first of three being built for bus manufacturer NPO-PM of Krasnoyarsk, with payloads built by Alcatel Space of France. The customer was Russian government telecoms service provider RSCC, also known as Kosmicheskaya Svyaz. SESAT, also booked for a "domestic" launch later this month, was a similar Alcatel/NPO-PM venture, but the customer was Paris-based international carrier Eutelsat. It is understood from Eutelsat that it planned to lease on capacity to both RSCC and the international Russia-based operator Intersputnik. The latter is also a partner in LMI.
In the case of both Express-A1 and SESAT, Alcatel’s role is understood to be purely that of a sub-contractor, with no involvement in such issues as insurance. It proved impossible to contact Alcatel programme managers following a holiday weekend in France, The satellite was reportedy insured for some $25 million or so by a Russian company.
Without Express-A1, the state of Russian satcoms remains dire. There are understood to be two early-model Express satellites in use, plus about nine much older Gorizonts, Most of these are in unstable and highly inclined orbits. Two other Express-As remain to launch, the second early in the new year (Baikonur reopening permitting). It is assumed that like the first, these will have 12 C-band and five Ku-band transponders. Further ahead, Alcatel has been cooperating with NPO-PM on an Express-K series carryng a significantly higher number of transponders and working life of up to 15 years.
Valery Timofeyev, deputy chairman of Gostelecom (state telecommunications) of the Russian Federation, recently described the Express-A programme as "a part of the global renovation of the Russian satellite group". The project is fully financed by the state.
He said that the second and the third satellites were scheduled to launch in the first part of 2000.
Ultimately, seven new Express satellites are planned. The $250 million project is to be financed by the Swiss Dal Miner Finance and American Power with the participation of Russia’s Gazkom. New contracts have been signed on building new Yamal-100 satellites with Alcatel payloads.
