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Russian Zenit rocket with US satellite fails at launch Russian Zenit rocket with US satellite fails at launch
(35 minutes 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 telecommunications satellite has plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after launch.
The Zenit-3SL rocket was launched from a floating site in the ocean just before 07:00 GMT on Friday. The Zenit-3SL rocket, which was being operated from a floating pad just south-east of the Hawaiian islands, failed 40 seconds after lift-off.
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 due to be positioned over the Atlantic to provide services to the Americas and Europe.
The Intelsat-27 satellite was designed to have a working life of 15 years. Officials say no-one was hurt as a result of the incident.
Officials say no-one was hurt on the Odyssey platform from which the rocket was launched. Staff from the Sea Launch company, which organised the launch, direct all missions from a support vessel which sits a safe distance from the platform.
The Sea Launch international consortium, which organised the launch, said it was setting up an oversight board to determine the reason for the incident. The firm said it would establish a review board to determine what went wrong.
"We are very disappointed with the outcome of the launch and offer our sincere regrets to our customer, Intelsat, and their spacecraft provider, Boeing," Kjell Karlsen, president of Sea Launch AG, said in a statement.
"The cause of the failure is unknown, but we are evaluating it and working closely with Intelsat, Boeing, Energia Logistics Ltd. and our Zenit-3SL suppliers. We will do everything reasonably possible to recover from this unexpected and unfortunate event."
ISS linkISS link
Constructed by Boeing, the satellite was supposed to serve government and media clients in the US and Europe.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.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.These include the failed Phobos Mars mission and the loss of a cargo ship taking supplies to the ISS, both in 2011.