Russia delays satellite launches by 2–3 mos after Proton-M crash

KAZAN, May 27 (PRIME) -- Russia has delayed a launch of connection satellites by two to three months because of a crash of the Proton-M launch vehicle earlier in May, Communications and Mass Media Minister Nikolai Nikiforov told reporters Wednesday.

“It means a certain insignificant delay rightward, ahead of dates of launches, later by two to three months,” the minister said at a conference. The ministry backs up the introduction of financial responsibility for busted launches and premature breakdowns.

“We strictly follow the principle that we should manufacture satellites in Russia and launch them with Russian rockets from Russian spaceports. There should be financial responsibility for everything: a fine for a failure to duly launch a vehicle, a fine for a breakdown and so forth. Essentially, we should buy satellites in orbit: it was launched, switched on, opened its antennas and started working, and was paid for only afterward,” the minister said.

An emergency situation occurred during a launch of the Proton-M vehicle with the MexSat-1 satellite on board on May 16. According to the Federal Space Agency, the vehicle and the satellite burnt into atmosphere with no fallen elements registered.

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