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Maintained by:
| Russian Launch Failures 2010-2011
The following table lists the Russian failures where the launch vehicle actually left the pad between 2010 December and 2011 December.
There are six launches and eight satellites in total that were lost or rendered useless. The frightening thing for Russia is that there is no common thread regarding hardware. It perhaps reinforces the view, expressed after the Meridian 5 launch by Vladimir Popovkin, that there is a structural problem in the Russian Space Agency.
Failed to reach orbit Proton-M/DM-3
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
| 2010 Dec 6, 10:25 UTC | GLONASS-M (Uragan-M № 739) | | One of a triplet of navigation satellites. The launch vehicle failed to reach orbit because of an error resulting in under-fuelling of the DM-3 rocket stage. | | | | | | | | |
| | GLONASS-M (Uragan-M № 740) | | One of a triplet of navigation satellites. The launch vehicle failed to reach orbit because of an error resulting in under-fuelling of the DM-3 rocket stage. | | | | | | | | |
| | GLONASS-M (Uragan-M № 741) | | One of a triplet of navigation satellites. The launch vehicle failed to reach orbit because of an error resulting in under-fuelling of the DM-3 rocket stage. | | | | | | | | |
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2011-005 Rockot/Briz-KM
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Archangel Region, Russia
| 2011 Feb 1, 14:00 UTC | Cosmos 2470 (Geo-IK-2 № 11/Musson 2)
2011-005A
37362 |
| | Geodetic satellite, based on the GLONASS-M chassis with equipment including radar altimeter, laser retro reflectors plus GLONASS and GPS receivers. Aimed at 1000 km circular orbit but circularisation burn of the Briz-KM did not occur. As a result, the satellite was unable to generate sufficient power from its solar cells. Mar 2, the satellite was declared as a loss and unable to conduct its intended mission. Later in 2011 Cosmos 2470's orbit allowed its batteries to charge sufficiently for it to start working and controllers were successful in sending commands. As a result, it may be capable of fulfilling part of its original mission. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | | | 2011 Feb 2, 17:39 | 7053 | 0.0452 | 356 | 993 | 98.24 | 99.45 | 95 | | | |
2011-045 Proton-M/Briz-M
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
| 2011 Aug 17, 21:25 UTC | Express AM 4
2011-045A
37798 |
Re-entered - 2012 Mar 25 | | Russian domestic Ku-band communications satellite to replace the service lost due to the failure of the earlier Express AM-2. Injected into wrong orbit through due to a computing malfunction in the launch vehicle. Intended to be stationed in geosynchronous orbit at 80° east longitude. De-orbited - any unburnt fragments fell near 40° north, 175° west 2011 Mar 25 13:32 UTC. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | | | 2011 Aug 20, 02:10 | 17037 | 0.5668 | 1003 | 20315 | 368.86 | 51.32 | 24 | | | | 2012 Mar 20, 00:04 | 16877 | 0.5831 | 658 | 20339 | 363.65 | 51.11 | 100 | | | |
Failed to reach orbit Soyuz-U
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
| 2011 Aug 24, 13:00 UTC | Progress M-12M (Progress 7K-TGM №412) | | Supplies to ISS. Soyuz-U upper stage control system detected a problem at T+325 seconds, about 30 seconds after ignition and ordered the engine to shut down. The spacecraft fell from 200 km altitude in the Gorny Altai region of southern Siberia and may have been destroyed on re-entry into the atmosphere.The finding of the investigation was failure of a gas generator, part of the engine. | | | | | | | | |
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2011-065 Zenit-2SB
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
| 2011 Nov 8, 20:16 UTC | Phobos-Grunt
2011-065A
37872 |
Re-entered - 2012 Jan 15 | | Russian soil-sampling spacecraft also carrying Yinghuo (Firefly) 1, a detachable Chinese orbiter vehicle. Separated from the launch vehicle at 20:27 UTC and departure from parking orbit was due Nov 9, approx 01:20 UTC but the necessary motor firings did not occur. Mars arrival was due 2012 October, followed by separation of Yinghuo (mass 110 kg) and about one year studying Phobos, including collection, 2013 February, of a soil sample to reach Earth 2014 August. Launch date was within a four week launch window with opening Nov 5. Delayed from 2009 Q4. the previous window, due to hardware/software problems. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
ecc | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | | | 2011 Nov 9, 03:32 | 6652 | 0.0102 | 207 | 342 | 90.00 | 51.43 | 25 | | | | 2011 Nov 22, 10:30 | 6644 | 0.0080 | 213 | 319 | 89.83 | 51.43 | 93 | | | | 2011 Nov 29, 17:46 | 6637 | 0.0074 | 209 | 308 | 89.68 | 51.43 | 123 | | | | 2012 Jan 15, 16:36 | 6497 | 0.0010 | 112 | 125 | 86.85 | 51.41 | 343 | | | |
Failed to reach orbit Soyuz 2-1b
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Archangel Region, Russia
| 2011 Dec 23, 12:08 UTC | Meridian 5 (Meridian № 15L) | | Military/government communications satellite for Molniya-type eccentric orbit - 1000 x 39700 km, 63° inclination, 724 minutes period. Launch failed through a problem with the Soyuz third stage. Rocket and payload fell back for a destructive re-entry into the atmosphere. Fragments were recovered after they hit the Earth near Novosibirsk, Russia about 12 minutes after launch. | | | | | | | | |
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