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Russian Rocket Crashes in Kazakhstan Russian Rocket Crashes in Kazakhstan
(35 minutes later)
MOSCOW — A cloud of highly toxic orange fumes wafted toward the city of Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday after an unmanned Russian rocket veered off course and crashed a few seconds after blastoff. MOSCOW — An unmanned rocket carrying Russian satellites veered off course and crashed a few seconds after blastoff on Tuesday, sending a cloud of highly toxic orange fumes toward the Kazakh city of Baikonur only 50 miles away.
The Proton-M rocket rose just above its launch tower during the early morning launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, wobbled and then tipped over into the desert in a ball of fire. Fears that the toxic cloud would waft into Baikonur were eased later in the day, however, after a cloudburst dispersed the fumes.
For Western commercial clients of Russia’s space launch services and for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which rents seats on a different model of Russian rocket to send astronauts into orbit, the Proton-M’s short flight on Tuesday was sure to raise questions about safety. Earlier, photographs posted online had shown an ominous cloud stretching over buildings near the launch pad, and residents of Baikonur, population 70,000, had been instructed to to stay indoors and refrain from using air conditioners.he Proton-M rocket rose just above its launch tower during the early morning launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, wobbled and then tipped over into the desert in a ball of fire.
It was the fourth Proton failure in three years, the result of engineering slip-ups, manufacturing glitches and command and control failures. The Russian space agency did not immediately offer an explanation for the crash. For Western commercial clients of Russia’s space launch services and for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration the Proton-M’s short flight on Tuesday, the fourth Proton failure in three years, was sure to raise questions about safety.
In recent years, NASA has relied on the Russia to provide transportation for American astronauts headed to the International Space Station. However, those missions are powered by a Soyuz rocket that has a strong safety record so far. In recent years, NASA has relied on Russia to provide transportation for American astronauts headed to the International Space Station. But those space flights have been powered by a Soyuz rocket that has a strong safety record.
The Russian space agency did not immediately offer an explanation for the crash.
There were no reported injuries at the site of the accident, an area that Russia rents for rocket launches. But the short round trip, instead of a journey to space, made for one of the most prominent rocket disasters in Russia’s space program in recent years.There were no reported injuries at the site of the accident, an area that Russia rents for rocket launches. But the short round trip, instead of a journey to space, made for one of the most prominent rocket disasters in Russia’s space program in recent years.
“According to the preliminary estimates from the Russian side, there is no destruction and there are no casualties,” the Kazakh space agency, KazCosmos, said in a statement, according to Reuters.“According to the preliminary estimates from the Russian side, there is no destruction and there are no casualties,” the Kazakh space agency, KazCosmos, said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Fears that the toxic cloud would waft into Baikonur, only 50 miles from the launch site, were eased after a cloudburst dispersed the fumes. Earlier in the day, photographs posted online had shown an ominous cloud stretching over buildings near the launch pad, and residents of Baikonur, population 70,000, had been instructed to to stay indoors and refrain from using air conditioners.
In video of the crash broadcast by Rossiya 24, a Russian state television channel, the satellites appeared to break apart from the nose cone as the rocket tumbled to earth. The station estimated their value at $200 million.In video of the crash broadcast by Rossiya 24, a Russian state television channel, the satellites appeared to break apart from the nose cone as the rocket tumbled to earth. The station estimated their value at $200 million.
In the live broadcast, the announcer notes as the rocket leans over and flies horizontally, “It seems something is not right.”In the live broadcast, the announcer notes as the rocket leans over and flies horizontally, “It seems something is not right.”
The announcer goes on to repeat, “something is not right” and adds that “the rocket is now heading toward the ground and breaking apart in the air. And an explosion.”The announcer goes on to repeat, “something is not right” and adds that “the rocket is now heading toward the ground and breaking apart in the air. And an explosion.”
The crash was also a setback for the Proton rocket, a workaday booster for the Russian space program used for commercial and military payloads.The crash was also a setback for the Proton rocket, a workaday booster for the Russian space program used for commercial and military payloads.
The most pressing concern was the orange cloud, which owed its coloring to the type of fuel used on the larger stages of the rocket. The fuel, called heptyl, is highly toxic if not burned during the flight. Kazakh authorities were cited in the Interfax news agency saying they might evacuate towns, though the region of scrub brush is sparsely populated.The most pressing concern was the orange cloud, which owed its coloring to the type of fuel used on the larger stages of the rocket. The fuel, called heptyl, is highly toxic if not burned during the flight. Kazakh authorities were cited in the Interfax news agency saying they might evacuate towns, though the region of scrub brush is sparsely populated.
But it is one of the largest rockets used today. The Proton weighs 700 tons on the launchpad, according to a reference book published by the Russian space agency; for comparison, a fully loaded 747 airplane weighs about 400 tons.But it is one of the largest rockets used today. The Proton weighs 700 tons on the launchpad, according to a reference book published by the Russian space agency; for comparison, a fully loaded 747 airplane weighs about 400 tons.
Most of its weight is fuel. Kazakh space officials said the rocket carried 600 tons of heptyl, kerosene and other propellants. Kazakhstan’s government has tried to ban its use at Baikonur.Most of its weight is fuel. Kazakh space officials said the rocket carried 600 tons of heptyl, kerosene and other propellants. Kazakhstan’s government has tried to ban its use at Baikonur.
Even after successful launches, herders have found dead cows underneath the flight path, killed by eating grass contaminated from jettisoned rocket stages contaminated with unburned heptyl.Even after successful launches, herders have found dead cows underneath the flight path, killed by eating grass contaminated from jettisoned rocket stages contaminated with unburned heptyl.