July 19, 2013

The launch of Proton-M booster with DM-03 upper stage and Glonass-M space devices took place from 81 launching pad of Baikonur Spaceport on July 2, 2013 at 6 hours 38 minutes 21,585 seconds Moscow time.

The crash happened on ~32,682 second after the takeoff because of the yaw channel stabilization loss due to off-nominal operation of Proton-M booster control system angular-rate sensors. The structure broke and rocket parts fell beyond the launching pad. There we no heavy consequences such as victims or destructions. The task on setting Glonass-M space devices into the orbit wasn’t accomplished.

According to Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation and Roscosmos joint resolution dated July 2, 2013 Interdepartmental Board headed by Roscosmos Deputy Head A.P.Lopatin was formed to find out the causes of the crash and work out necessary recommendations.

The Board analyzed Proton-M booster design documentation, technical documentation and operational instructions, studied the process of Proton-M compounds construction, testing, transportation, storage and check, studied materials of the booster, analyzed telemetry and  trajectory track data and carried out comprehensive analysis of booster crash considering all experiments conducted.

The board determined that during the launch “lift-off contact” signal issuing took place before actual takeoff and 0,4 second earlier than planned. The possible cause of early issuing could be early undocking of docking mechanism of launch pad power pneumatic connection from the booster. Considering the results of telemetry data analysis and booster flight simulation the Board determined that “lift-off contact” signal early issuing and transmission couldn’t be the cause of the crash.

The experiments on causation of angular-rate sensors off-nominal operation confirmed their possible misadjustment (180 degrees transition by installation of the devices) provided that electric connectors were installed properly.

Commission search for material facilities including Proton-M booster control system angular-rate sensors was organized at the site of the crash. The equipment was found, studied, packed, sealed and sent to booster manufacturing plant for further studies.

As a result of all researches the Board found force impact evidences on docking surfaces of 3 devices of 6. These evidences are similar to those appeared in the course of experiment on off-nominal installation. The layout of the imprints conforms to the layout on the device mock-up used during the experiment.

According to the results of the work accomplished the Board concluded as follows:
– The cause of the crash is misadjustment of angular-rate sensors of yaw channel in Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center;
– Methods of control during ground preparation and testing in accordance with design and technical documentation and operational instructions do not enable to find out misadjustment of angular-rate sensors on the booster;
– The flow appeared during the flight and is of processing character;
– The Board continues its work to determine the causes on early undocking of docking mechanism of launch pad power pneumatic connection from the booster

Image credit – Roscosmos

More from this category:
January 11, 2019

On January 11th 2019 in Moscow at the Red Square held a ceremony of laying flowers at the burial place of the founder of Russian…

full story
August 6, 2020

The Russian satellite for remote sensing of the Earth “Kanopus-V” captured the consequences of an explosion in the port of Beirut (Lebanon). A powerful explosion…

full story
September 23, 2024

Today at 14:59 Moscow time, the descent vehicle of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft with cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and astronaut Tracy Dyson landed near…

full story
January 15, 2016

In 2016 Russia will launch four manned and three cargo vehicles to the International Space Station from Baikonur spaceport in the framework if ISS flight…

full story
December 12, 2018

The spacewalk according to the Russian program was successfully completed by the cosmonauts of Roscosmos Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopiev. The main task of VKD-45A…

full story
May 7, 2014

Soyuz-2.1a booster with military space device was successfully launched from Plesetsk spaceport, representative of  Russian Ministry of Defenсe press-office management on Aerospace Defenсe troops Colonel…

full story
May 27, 2013

The launch of Angara light rocket from Vostochny cosmodrome will take place in 2015, – vice Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said at the meeting with…

full story
July 15, 2014

The first after May crash launch of Proton heavy booster is planned for September 28, 2014, Roscosmos head Deputy Alexandr Ivanov reported. “According to the…

full story