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| Russian Zenit rocket with US satellite fails at launch | Russian Zenit rocket with US satellite fails at launch |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Russian rocket carrying a US-made communications satellite has plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after its launch, Russian media report. | A Russian rocket carrying a US-made communications satellite has plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after its launch, Russian media report. |
| The Zenit-3SL rocket was launched from a floating site in the ocean just before 07:00 GMT on Friday. | The Zenit-3SL rocket was launched from a floating site in the ocean just before 07:00 GMT on Friday. |
| Sources in the Russian space industry said the rocket had strayed from its trajectory immediately after lift-off, causing the engine to cut out. | Sources in the Russian space industry said the rocket had strayed from its trajectory immediately after lift-off, causing the engine to cut out. |
| The Intelsat-27 satellite was designed to have a working life of 15 years. | The Intelsat-27 satellite was designed to have a working life of 15 years. |
| Officials say no-one was hurt on the Odyssey platform from which the rocket was launched. | |
| The Sea Launch international consortium, which organised the launch, said it was setting up an oversight board to determine the reason for the incident. | |
| ISS link | |
| Constructed by Boeing, the satellite was supposed to serve government and media clients in the US and Europe. | |
| Yevgeny Lopota, the head of Russia's Energia corporation, which made the rocket, said the engine shutdown happened just 50 seconds into the flight. | Yevgeny Lopota, the head of Russia's Energia corporation, which made the rocket, said the engine shutdown happened just 50 seconds into the flight. |
| The launch had already been delayed by 24 hours, but not for technical reasons. | The launch had already been delayed by 24 hours, but not for technical reasons. |
| There have only been two complete failures in the 34 sea launches conducted since 1999. | There have only been two complete failures in the 34 sea launches conducted since 1999. |
| Correspondents say Russia's space programme is being closely watched as it currently provides the only manned link to the International Space Station (ISS), but it has suffered a series of setbacks in recent years. | |
| These include the failed Phobos Mars mission and the loss of a cargo ship taking supplies to the ISS, both in 2011. |