posted 12-01-2016 09:24 AM               

Progress MS-04 launches to space station, possible separation issue

Russia's Progress MS-04 spacecraft lifted off for the International Space Station Thursday (Dec. 1), but a problem may have resulted in the uncrewed cargo vehicle separating from its Soyuz U rocket earlier than planned.

The Progress spacecraft launched at 8:51:52 a.m. CST (1451 GMT; 8:51 p.m. local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The first minutes of the flight were normal, according to NASA.

According to Roscosmos, Russia's federal space agency, telemetry from the Progress dropped off 383 seconds into the flight, more than two minutes before orbital insertion was expected.

Flight controllers received telemetry from the spacecraft confirming it had deployed its navigation antennas, according to NASA, but they were still waiting confirmation that the vehicle's two solar arrays were deployed and if the separation from the booster's third stage occurred when planned.

The Progress, which is packed with more than two and a half tons of food, fuel and supplies for the space station's Expedition 50/51 crew, was scheduled to dock to the rear port of the Zvezda service module on Saturday (Dec. 3).

posted 12-01-2016 03:05 PM               

Russian Progress MS-04 cargo spacecraft lost in launch to space station

A Russian cargo spacecraft was lost Thursday (Dec. 1) during its launch to deliver food, fuel, air and supplies to the International Space Station.

Roscosmos, Russia's federal space corporation, stated on its website that "data reception ended" 382 seconds after its Progress MS-04 uncrewed spacecraft lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

"The telemetry with the cargo vehicle Progress MS-04 has been lost after the Soyuz-U launch vehicle liftoff," reported agency officials. "According to preliminary information, the contingency [leading to the loss of the vehicle] took place at an altitude of 190 kilometers [120 miles] over a remote and unpopulated mountainous area of the Tyva Republic."

posted 01-11-2017 12:31 PM               

Possible cause of the Progress MS-04 loss identified

Today (Jan. 11), the emergency committee under the chairmanship of Roscosmos director Igor Komarov reviewed the results of the work by investigators who studied the contingency that started with the launch on Dec. 1, 2016 of Progress MS-04 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The accident to the unplanned separation between the third stage of the launch vehicle and the spacecraft. Fragments from both vehicles fell in a remote, mountain-wooded area about 100 kilometers west of Kyzyl (Tuva Republic). Debris from the third stage and Progress hit the ground, but were not a threat to the environment or public.

Members of the investigation commission found that the most probable cause of the accident had been the disintegration of the oxidizer tank of the third stage as a result of the failure of the 11D55 engine, following the fire and disintegration of its oxidizer pump. The fire in the pump and its disintegration could be triggered by a possible injection of the foreign particles into the pump's cavity or by violations during the assembly of the 11D55 engine, such as a wrong clearance between the pump's shaft and its attachment sleeve, floating rings and impellers, leading to a possible loss of balance and vibration of the rotor. The fault, which has a production nature, manifested itself during the flight.

Roscosmos will prepare a plan of immediate action at enterprises of the the rocket industry to ensure the safe launch of Progress MS-05.