April 22, 2015
The accident caused no casualties or damage. There was 900 km north of Moscow.
The accident occurred Wednesday in an uninhabited area of northern Russia, told AFP from a senior local authorities. A Russian experimental rocket crashed shortly after takeoff.
According to this source, who requested anonymity, the military confirmed the incident, saying he had no injuries or damage. The rocket crashed in the region of Arkhanguelsk, about 900 km north of Moscow.
Experimental rocket launch at Plessetsk Cosmodrome
The regional government confirmed the incident to the TASS news agency, explaining that the craft had crashed 7 km from the Plessetsk Cosmodrome, around 09:00 am GMT. According to TASS, quoting military sources, this experimental rocket 9.6 tons, solid propulsion, has veered off course shortly after takeoff. Its launch was conducted by a company of the Russian military-industrial complex, assured the source.
"No danger to the public"
"The accident poses no threat to the people or the environment. The rocket did not contain hazardous substances or materials, "said a National Centre spokesman crisis management at the Interfax news agency.
No details of the rocket has been given by the Russian authorities and officials of the Plessetsk Cosmodrome did not wish to confirm the accident told AFP.
The Russian space industry has been shaken in recent years by a series of stinging setbacks, including the failure of the development of communications satellites orbit or the loss of a probe launched to a satellite of Mars (Phobos).
Overhaul of the Russian space industry
In the summer of 2013, a Proton rocket carrying three Glonass satellites, the future Russian satellite navigation system, and had exploded on takeoff.
However, Russia is successfully launched in late December a new generation of rocket, Angara, commissioning since the end of the Soviet Union and will replace the Proton rocket.
Faced with the difficulties encountered, Moscow launched late January a redesign of its strategic space sector, with the merger of its various structures under the leadership of the Roscosmos space agency and the appointment of a new boss, Igor Komarov.
Image, Text, Credits: AFP/Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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