Russia’s space industry in crisis: Official
December 24th, 2011 - 11:00 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 24 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia’s space industry needs an influx of new faces to overcome its current crisis, the head of the country’s space agency said after a satellite crashed in Siberia.
“The space branch is suffering a crisis. We must resolve this situation and give way to the youth.., Perhaps it’s time for reshuffle,” Roscosmos agency chief Vladimir Popovkin said Friday.
Popovkin was speaking after the crash of Meridian dual-purpose satellite launched from the Plesetsk space centre in northern Russia on board a Soyuz-2 carrier rocket.
Aerospace Forces spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said the satellite fell to earth just minutes after take-off.
Initial reports said debris was found near the south Siberian city of Tobolsk. Later police said fragments of the satellite were spotted in four residential areas in nearby Novosibirsk region.
Russia has experienced a number of launch mishaps in the past 13 months.
On Aug 18, a Proton vehicle failed to put a communications satellite in its proper orbit. On Feb 1, a Rokot launch also saw a similar outcome.
On Dec 5 last year, a Proton carrying three navigation spacecraft fell into the Pacific Ocean. This failure led to the decision of the government to replace then space agency chief Anatoly Perminov.
Popovkin took over as the head of Roscosmos in April.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
pm
- Man escapes as satellite piece crashes through roof - Dec 25, 2011
- Russia plans three space launches in August - Jul 30, 2011
- Russian satellite crashes shortly after launch - Dec 23, 2011
- Russian military satellite falls in Pacific - Apr 08, 2012
- Russia folds Soyuz-U launch programme - May 19, 2012
- Russian military satellite to fall Saturday - Apr 06, 2012
- Russia launches military satellite - Jun 28, 2011
- Russia launches cluster of four satellites - Jul 28, 2012
- Two Russian space officials sacked over satellite loss - Dec 29, 2010
- Russia launches military communication satellite - May 05, 2011
- Russia's Mars spacecraft falls in Pacific Ocean - Jan 16, 2012
- Russia launches navigation satellite - Oct 03, 2011
- Russia to launch ESA satellites Sunday - Dec 12, 2011
- Russia launches space freighter - Oct 31, 2011
- Russian space firm accused of $17 mn fraud - Jul 10, 2012
Tags: aerospace forces, agency chief, communications satellite, dual purpose, initial reports, mishaps, new faces, northern russia, novosibirsk region, proper orbit, reshuffle, residential areas, ria novosti russia, rokot, roscosmos, siberian city, soyuz 2, space agency, space centre, space industry