Ace of Spades HQ

July 02, 2013

Russian Proton-M Crashes Spectacularly, Destroying $200 Million in Payload
— Ace

Alternative title: Second-Tier Blogger ponders how many things are perfect metaphors for Obama and ObamaCare.

Russia's Proton-M rocket is now grounded due to multiple embarrassing failures.

An unmanned Proton-M crashed shortly after blasting off on Monday (July 1), destroying three navigation satellites worth a total of nearly $200 million. The incident marked the fifth major Proton launch failure since December 2010.

Thanks to rickl.

Below, the video. It's loud, but loud in a good way. Maybe watch it with good speakers if you have one those archaic desktop computers. There are no deaths or injuries I'm aware of.

Which makes this less of a perfect metaphor for ObamaCare.

Posted by: Ace at 03:47 PM | Comments (194)
Post contains 127 words, total size 1 kb.

1 so uh I have a plan...I'll er use this device to show the impact of quality of care under Obamacare

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 03:48 PM (LRFds)

2 Reminds me of my last date.

Posted by: Methos at July 02, 2013 03:49 PM (hO9ad)

3 hey I saw videos of this when we did it in the 50s

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 03:50 PM (LRFds)

4 200 million? Chump change. one vacation for Obama.

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 03:50 PM (8I9hB)

5 so there we were bawwy and me...

//Bawney

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 03:50 PM (LRFds)

6 Next on World News Tonight, we look into the failed launch of the Affordable Healthcare Act.

Posted by: Charlie Gibson at July 02, 2013 03:50 PM (Pr6hk)

7
That's retarded, sir.

Posted by: Ruski Ground Controller at July 02, 2013 03:50 PM (Opo0Q)

8 When that shock wave hit I would have lost control of the old bodily functions right quick.

Posted by: arminius at July 02, 2013 03:51 PM (cDnhR)

9 "Blow it up baby!" Obama slogan for 2013

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 03:51 PM (8I9hB)

10 The guys who moved Costanza's Frogger machine taught the guys who launched this rocket.

Posted by: Lincolntf at July 02, 2013 03:51 PM (ZshNr)

11 Oh Shitski!

Posted by: John P. Squibob at July 02, 2013 03:52 PM (kqqGm)

12 Makes me proud that SpaceX et al are doing much better with re-usable rockets. MURIKA

Posted by: HoboJerky, Hash Hunter at July 02, 2013 03:52 PM (X4HxX)

13 #2 and #7, lol.

Posted by: wooga at July 02, 2013 03:52 PM (h5lu9)

14 I love shit going all splodey. And you could tell almost from the moment of lift off that shit was going wrong.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at July 02, 2013 03:52 PM (GEICT)

15 11 Oh Shitski!

Posted by: John P. Squibob at July 02, 2013 07:52 PM (kqqGm)

For sureski!

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 03:53 PM (8I9hB)

16
Looks like a graph of Marco Rubio's political career.

Posted by: Build a wall at July 02, 2013 03:53 PM (Opo0Q)

17 That leaves the Euro's and maybe the Chinese.

Posted by: Cape Canaveral at July 02, 2013 03:53 PM (mETGQ)

18 >>>And you could tell almost from the moment of lift off that shit was going wrong.

Yeah when it's listing that bad from the jump you know you're not going to achieve altitude.

Posted by: Alec Baldwin's Whisky-Dick Erection at July 02, 2013 03:54 PM (/IWYB)

19 16
Looks like a graph of Marco Rubio's political career.

Posted by: Build a wall at July 02, 2013 07:53 PM (Opo0Q)

Exactamente.

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 03:54 PM (8I9hB)

20 hope the 200 million payload wasn't too important to anybody.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at July 02, 2013 03:54 PM (RZ8pf)

21 I hear that was Snowden's transport out of the country.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at July 02, 2013 03:55 PM (jjvz+)

22 Wisconsin Democrats launch their latest attack to stop Scott Walker.

Posted by: CAC at July 02, 2013 03:55 PM (2e25j)

23 Wow. That's pretty much how I feel about everything right now.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at July 02, 2013 03:55 PM (Gk3SS)

24 We have to crash it to see what's in it.

Posted by: Comrade Pelotzki at July 02, 2013 03:55 PM (eHIJJ)

25 They make the point that something is easy by saying, "That's not rocket science." Rockets Is Hard.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at July 02, 2013 03:55 PM (5YUSx)

26 Obamacare is a blast

Posted by: Mr Pee Pee at July 02, 2013 03:56 PM (cZfZW)

27 30 years on, the Russkies are still just Kurds with apartments.

Posted by: DanInMN at July 02, 2013 03:56 PM (dyhSa)

28 hope the 200 million payload wasn't too important to anybody.

Eh, I can always print more.

Posted by: Bensky Bernankchev at July 02, 2013 03:56 PM (hO9ad)

29 The people in the video sound pretty calm considering what they witnessed.

Posted by: Vendette at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (d+fT0)

30 Straighten, you queen! Straighten straighten straighten you fag-missile!!!

Posted by: Launch Commander Alec Baldwin at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (/IWYB)

31 That was the USSR Obamski, right?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (0HooB)

32 OOps - ski

Posted by: Russia Space Agency at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (kduZC)

33 Thanks, Ace! I think that's my first hat tip. Alternative title: Second-Tier Blogger ponders how many things are perfect metaphors for Obama and ObamaCare. Heh.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (sdi6R)

Maintaining a GPS system is hard, as Europe found out when they failed to even achieve operational status.

This is likely not a good thing for the long term development of GLONASS. On the up side, we maintain a certain tech advantage over the rest of the world I suppose.

Posted by: tsrblke at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (GaqMa)

35 Rockets Is Hard.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at July 02, 2013 07:55 PM (5YUSx)

Note... the Russians can put a man into Orbit.... we... cannot...

Posted by: Romeo13 at July 02, 2013 03:58 PM (lZBBB)

36 23 Wow. That's pretty much how I feel about everything right now. Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at July 02, 2013 07:55 PM (Gk3SS) May I offer you some tequila and a Partagas 1845 Classico or Magnifico?

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (GEICT)

37 http://tinyurl.com/ncn96w7

Hey Ace or a COB Legal Insurrection has a nice piece on why the GOP identifier is dying....

I'd check it out b/c it pretty much nails it

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (LRFds)

38 "hope the 200 million payload wasn't too important to anybody."

I don't know, let's ask. Hey NSA, anything in there important beside the satellites!

Posted by: lowandslow at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (Fz2C7)

39 Where do we go with this thread, because I don't care that the Ruskis had a fuckedupski launchski. and that's all I got. And I stole this whole shtickski from Suibobski.

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (8I9hB)

40 The people in the video sound pretty calm considering what they witnessed.

Watch a few of those "Driving in Russia" videos. The nonchalance will make more sense

Posted by: Methos at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (hO9ad)

41 hope the 200 million payload wasn't too important to anybody. Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at July 02, 2013 07:54 PM (RZ8pf) You do realize that's like two maybe three vacation.

Posted by: Michelle Obama at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (mETGQ)

42 Yeah, any deviation from straight up is usually a failure.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (0HooB)

43 35 Romeo13,

but Islam feels GREAT!

//Bark

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 03:59 PM (LRFds)

44 Hell the CHINESE can send a Man into orbit... we cannot...

Posted by: Romeo13 at July 02, 2013 04:00 PM (lZBBB)

45 May I offer you some tequila and a Partagas 1845 Classico or Magnifico? Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at July 02, 2013 07:59 PM (GEICT)

Yes, yes, you may.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at July 02, 2013 04:00 PM (Gk3SS)

The payload was...satellites...."Navigation Satellites".

At least, that's what they're saying.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:00 PM (XWSNs)

47 Haha!! I warned you Putin!!

Posted by: President For Life Obama at July 02, 2013 04:00 PM (Cjjf6)

48 Yeah, I wouldn't be that calm, even two miles away.

I can imagine a stray bolt or two completing the distance between myself and the flying contraption going kablam.

Posted by: bonhomme at July 02, 2013 04:00 PM (QehQP)

49 Mushroom cloud kinda looks like Sideshow Bob .

Posted by: Bill D. Cat at July 02, 2013 04:01 PM (0iJzo)

50 Would have been a better metaphor if there were people on board. 300-some million Americans about to crash and burn along with Obamacare.

Posted by: Jay at July 02, 2013 04:01 PM (o05Cp)

51 44 Hell the CHINESE can send a Man into orbit... we cannot... Posted by: Romeo13 at July 02, 2013 08:00 PM (lZBBB) We can, our govt can not. America certainly can.

Posted by: HoboJerky, Hash Hunter at July 02, 2013 04:01 PM (X4HxX)

52 That bird was in perfect condition, apart from some trauma to the nosecone and some flames. /British birdwatchers

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at July 02, 2013 04:01 PM (pxDth)

53 Nyet!

I am not sure why I laughed at the little horn toot at the end. Who or what was in that cage?

Great commercial for obamacare, you nailed it, Ace. Wylie Coyote would be proud of this launch.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Redneck Queen at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (baL2B)

54 You can tell Ivan his Model-T missiles are missing by a fucking country mile! A country mile! - Swan Song

Posted by: Captain Teddy "Bear" Warner at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (JDIKC)

55 Yes, yes, you may. Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at July 02, 2013 08:00 PM (Gk3SS) *slides over shot glass* Classico or Magnifico mi'lady? And, one small thing, I unfortunately only have a butane lighter on hand. *wince* Could I perhaps trouble you for some matches?

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (GEICT)

Note... the Russians can put a man into Orbit.... we... cannot...

We definitely can. The Dims in charge just won't. The money's still getting spent, it's just going to Russian instead of American employees.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (0HooB)

57 A guy in a kayak disappeared off Nantucket. He was spotted outside of the kayak waving his arms, then not seen again. His kayak, containing a cooler and beer cans, washed up. No sign of the boater. No shark reports yet.

Posted by: Lincolntf at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (ZshNr)

58 This is the same space program Obama wants us to rely on to send Americans into space.

Posted by: Craig Poe at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (BVkEs)

59 Where do we go with this thread, because I don't care that the Ruskis had a fuckedupski launchski. and that's all I got.

Anyone got some Kerbal disaster stories to share?

Posted by: Methos at July 02, 2013 04:02 PM (hO9ad)

60 Ahh, yes, my undergraduate years.

Posted by: Baron bon Mot at July 02, 2013 04:03 PM (PJ/yp)

61 There's a close up video of this. You can see it lose a starboard nozzle and the other three cannot compensate. The nozzle melts through and disintegrates.

Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at July 02, 2013 04:03 PM (MhA4j)

I was informed that the correct usage is:

"Award Winning Second Tier Blogger"

Ace.

Posted by: garrett at July 02, 2013 04:03 PM (236t1)

63 58 A guy in a kayak disappeared off Nantucket. He was spotted outside of the kayak waving his arms, then not seen again. His kayak, containing a cooler and beer cans, washed up. No sign of the boater. No shark reports yet.

Posted by: Lincolntf at July 02, 2013 08:02 PM (ZshNr)

Lucky guy who found the cooler and beer. other guy...not so much.

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 04:03 PM (8I9hB)

64 to be fair, Russia did inherit that rocket from George W. Bush.

Posted by: oeJay44incday at July 02, 2013 04:04 PM (QxSug)

65 Good thing this wasn't during the Cold War era. The man who shot the video would have disappeared, and the official position would be the video was fake.

Posted by: bonhomme at July 02, 2013 04:04 PM (QehQP)

66 Russian rocket fuel isn't near as toxic as what we use; it's mostly kerosene.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:04 PM (2/T/u)

67 When did Ace get promoted to the second tier of blogging? Somebody shoulda said something. We would have congratulated him.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at July 02, 2013 04:04 PM (JDIKC)

The reason why this isn't exactly a metaphor for ClusterfuckCare...is because it hasn't crashed and burned, yet.

It is being delayed.

The Clusterfucking is being delayed until after the election.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:05 PM (XWSNs)

69 Along those lines, according to Balz, Romney didn't want to run as late of 2010,

Posted by: Admiral Layton at July 02, 2013 04:05 PM (Jsiw/)

70 Obvious gyro/guidance failure. I suppose the RSO took as long as they did hoping it would clear the launch site (which it eventually did) to minimize launch equipment damage.

When you got the luxury of unpopulated wide open spaces, the RSO doesn't have to be as quick on the trigger.

If that had been a populated area like the cape, it would have been splashed much sooner.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:05 PM (/gHaE)

71 Gravity is a cruel mistress.

Posted by: garrett at July 02, 2013 04:05 PM (236t1)

72 Totally inaccurate this rocket actually went up for a while. If you wanted an accurate metaphor for 0'care you would need to start the rocket up high where the US medical system was, then shoot the rocket straight down into Bad Water, Death Valley, onto a bunch of Medicare recipient tourists.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at July 02, 2013 04:05 PM (0q2P7)

73
The Russian rocket was aimed at the pyramids. But by the power of the Prophet, it was denied!

Posted by: Barry Obama at July 02, 2013 04:06 PM (Opo0Q)

74 It is being delayed.
The Clusterfucking is being delayed until after the election.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 08:05 PM (XWSNs)

The President DOES NOT have the power to delay a clusterfcuking!

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 04:06 PM (8I9hB)

75 So whats it cost to load a couple of these with rock salt and have em delivered to IRS HQ?

Posted by: sum(random) at July 02, 2013 04:06 PM (UCyxd)

Enough talk of nozzles, melting and disintegration.

How will this affect my ability to have others purchase my birth control at their expense?

Posted by: Ouch at July 02, 2013 04:06 PM (kduZC)

77 >>>I was informed that the correct usage is:
>>>"Award Winning Second Tier Blogger"
>>>Ace.

Award Winning Critically Acclaimed Second Tier Blogger

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at July 02, 2013 04:06 PM (0q2P7)

78 Used to be a day you coudl laugh at those commies. Now you cry because their supposed to be our way up to space these days. Thanks Barry.

Posted by: California Red at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (L39bP)

79 This was an amateur video taken from about two miles away, judging from the sound delay. It's high definition, so you can set it for 1080p and watch it full screen. And it goes without saying, turn up your speakers. The delayed explosion reminds me of the Chelyabinsk meteor. The rocket's brief flight is reminiscent of the failure of a Juno II on July 16, 1959, which is one of the most famous launch failures in history. Proton is a larger vehicle and got a little more altitude. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOBCT6AIvX8 The article mentions other recent Proton failures, but they were all upper stages which failed to place satellites in orbit. This was the first failure of a Proton first stage in about 20 years. If it's the one I'm thinking of, the last one produced equally spectacular video. I'll have to try to hunt it down.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (sdi6R)

80 We need to get the "World's Dumbest" comedians on this video, STAT!

Cues Danny Bonaduce's "I used to get drunk and crash a lot, but I never caused over 200 million in damage!"

Posted by: bonhomme at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (44jNh)

81 I'm going to sue for a clusterfucking!!

Posted by: Guido - 'now with 75+% more hate!' at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (8I9hB)

Garrett, the boy has a t-shirt that says "obey gravity, it's the law"

apparently this was, actually rocket science, of the epic fail school of rocket science.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (RZ8pf)

83 Classico or Magnifico mi'lady?

And, one small thing, I unfortunately only have a butane lighter on hand. *wince* Could I perhaps trouble you for some matches? Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at July 02, 2013 08:02 PM (GEICT)

Hmmm. Classico.

*sigh* Heathens. *hands over matches*

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD, you taunty bitch. at July 02, 2013 04:07 PM (Gk3SS)

84 We definitely can. The Dims in charge just won't. The money's still getting spent, it's just going to Russian instead of American employees.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 08:02 PM (0HooB)

We currently have no vehicles in use, or production, which can put an astronaut into orbit...

Could we? Un Mothball the Shuttles? Crash course on building the Vehicles that have been on the Drawing board for 30+ years??? sure... but currently... we do not have the capability to launch.

Posted by: Romeo13 at July 02, 2013 04:08 PM (lZBBB)

85 In Russia, rocket crash you.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 04:08 PM (0HooB)

86 67 Russian rocket fuel isn't near as toxic as what we use; it's mostly kerosene. Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 08:04 PM (2/T/u) You've got it backwards. This shit is nasty.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:08 PM (sdi6R)

87 mmm, gyro.

Posted by: garrett at July 02, 2013 04:09 PM (236t1)

88 Second tier blogger, eh? Well La-dee-effing-dah Mr. High-faluting!

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at July 02, 2013 04:09 PM (pxDth)

89 For those who don't know about launch procedure...

Every rocket like that (and the manned Space Shuttles) were/are equipped with self destruct charges.

The RSO (Range Safety Officer) is the guy with their finger on the self-destruct button. If the bird goes wonky and looks like its headed towards population, its intentionally blown up.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:09 PM (/gHaE)

90 Bet the guy who lit the fuse on that one shit his pants when it circled back around at him.

Posted by: wth at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (wAQA5)

>> sure... but currently... we do not have the capability to launch.

Bob Dole can help!

Posted by: Bob Dole at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (236t1)

92 ILS, heh. I shouldn't laugh, but karma's a bitch. Failure 17 seconds into launch? I doubt any of that was controlled in terms of trying to avoid populated areas. Sea Launch is the safest as far as that goes.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (2/T/u)

93 >>>*sigh* Heathens. *hands over matches*

They had better be sulfur free. Monte #2's you damn pagans that's the real smoke.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (0q2P7)

94 I saw a picture once of an amateur rocketry enthusiast who was making some fuel at home when ...

The house was gone. No walls, no framing, no plumbing pipes. Gone.

Posted by: bonhomme at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (44jNh)

95 Clearly a new generation of Russian Rocket Scientists were never given the opportunity to learn from an Estes-Cox kit.

Nice crash, though.

Posted by: Fritz at July 02, 2013 04:10 PM (G9Mmf)

96 is it just me, or does anybody else start humming Bohemian Rhapsody when they see the word "Magnifico"?

Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at July 02, 2013 04:11 PM (RZ8pf)

97 Reminds me of that old joke of mine. I aim for the stars but I keep hitting London.

Posted by: Wernher von Braun at July 02, 2013 04:11 PM (mETGQ)

98 Glad to see we have so many othre reliable heavy lift options

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 04:11 PM (CMlD4)

77
Enough talk of nozzles, melting and disintegration.
How will this affect my ability to have others purchase my birth control at their expense?

Posted by: Ouch at July 02, 2013 08:06 PM (kduZC)

---------

First, you get the nozzle.

Then, you get the free birth control.

The free shit will have to wait till after the raping.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:11 PM (XWSNs)

100
According to the AP, Zimmerman had a very bad day in court.

True?

Doesn't matter. The AP will publish whatever it wants people to know.

Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 04:12 PM (KwX0v)

101 The American Atlas V and Falcon use kerosene and liquid oxygen in the first stage. Delta IV uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, as did the Shuttle. The Russian Soyuz uses kerosene and liquid oxygen. Per Wikipedia: The (GRAU index) 8K82K version is now usually called "Proton K". It is fuelled by unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.[9] These are hypergolic fuels which ignite on contact, avoiding the need for an ignition system, and can be stored at ambient temperatures. This avoids the need for components that are tolerant of low temperatures, and allows the rocket to remain on the pad indefinitely (other launchers with such capability include the U.S. Titan II, Titan III, and Titan IV, the Chinese Long March 2 rocket family and Long March 4 rocket family, the Soviet/Ukrainian Tsyklon launchers, the Soviet/Russian Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M launchers and the European Ariane 1 to Ariane 4 launchers).

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:13 PM (sdi6R)

102
If I had a rocket, it would look kike the Proton-M.

Posted by: Stuttering Cluster... at July 02, 2013 04:13 PM (Opo0Q)

103 Launching rockets isn't rocket science. Take it from a 13M.

Posted by: Lincolntf at July 02, 2013 04:13 PM (ZshNr)

104 Did you hear Boehner's weak-ass statement on Obamacare? There was so much gobbledygook, nothing-burger it floated away without notice.

Pussy.

Posted by: Marcus at July 02, 2013 04:13 PM (DE/oU)

105 You've got it backwards. This shit is nasty. Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 08:08 PM (sdi6R) It may well be nasty but unless things have changed in the 9 years since I worked in the satellite launching biz (and it may well have!), it is the least toxic of all rocket fuels currently in use, as well as the cheapest to produce, which is why the Russians use it.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:13 PM (2/T/u)

106 but currently... we do not have the capability to launch

The Air Force has an unmanned recoverable shuttle'ish vehicle they're using. The US operates about 5 launch facilities with the capability of putting vehicles in orbt

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:14 PM (/gHaE)

107 I do not know who called you "second tier," Ace, but tell them "pfft" from me.

You are top tier, dude. I am sure you will get a top bunk at the camps. Me? I have called it already: bunk near east window for morning light and a/c unit. If others are not preparing they are morons. Preparation is key. #RussianscientistnowinSiberiawisheshehadprepared

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Redneck Queen at July 02, 2013 04:14 PM (baL2B)

108 The N-1 Booster, which was the Russian version of the Saturn, was famous unreliable, to Korolev's dissapointment,

Posted by: Admiral Layton at July 02, 2013 04:14 PM (Jsiw/)

109 Doesn't matter. The AP will publish whatever it wants people to know. Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 08:12 PM (KwX0v) The media wants a close case to make sure the stands don't empty out.

Posted by: HoboJerky, Hash Hunter at July 02, 2013 04:14 PM (X4HxX)

110 And something about storing it, too, can't remember what.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:14 PM (2/T/u)

111 Proton runs on the same hypergolic mix that powered US Titan II missiles, namely some form of hydrazine and some form of oxides of nitrogen. Liquid at room temperature and perfect for long-term storage in a missile silo.

MON (mixed oxides of nitrogen) when let out of the tank and into the air, form what's called in the missilery biz a BFRC (Big Fucking Red Cloud). Hydrazine, though, just eats flesh and causes cancer.

Most US boosters (as well as the Soviet/Russian Soyuz launcher) run on liquid oxygen & kerosene for the first stage and then liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen for the upper stages. Neither of these combos has anything like the nastiness of hypergolics (which have the wonderful property of spontaneously combusting when they come in contact with each other).

Posted by: Captain Ned at July 02, 2013 04:15 PM (i+Fm3)

112

Posted by: Purp at July 02, 2013 08:14 PM (/gHaE)

With an astronaut? which was the original point?

Posted by: Romeo13 at July 02, 2013 04:15 PM (lZBBB)

113

At least the Russians get a nice explosion for their money.

All we get is a big flushing sound.

Posted by: wth at July 02, 2013 04:16 PM (wAQA5)

114 I saw a picture once of an amateur rocketry enthusiast who was making some fuel at home when ... Sounds like a Big Bang episode ...

Posted by: Adriane ... at July 02, 2013 04:16 PM (Jv4FA)

115 According to the AP, Zimmerman had a very bad day in court. True? Doesn't matter. The AP will publish whatever it wants people to know. *** No. The prosecution played tape of Zimmerman's interview with Hannity. WTF? Its like having GZ testify without being questioned. They also put his best friend on the stand. What the prosecution is doing is nitpicking every single word GZ has ever said, looking for inconsistencies. They have found a few tiny things but, generally, the ball is still way in the defense court. That is my layman's take.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at July 02, 2013 04:16 PM (jjvz+)

116 105 Marcus,

If he says amnesty is dead and focuses on this I don't care

Posted by: Esteban10077@sven10077 at July 02, 2013 04:17 PM (LRFds)

117

We currently have no vehicles in use, or production, which can put an astronaut into orbit...

Could we? Un Mothball the Shuttles? Crash course on building the Vehicles that have been on the Drawing board for 30+ years??? sure... but currently... we do not have the capability to launch.

SpaceX has an outpost at the Cape and do some launches from there, IIRC.

The Shuttle program should never have been stopped unless there was already something ready to replace it. Those airframes still had most of their useful life ahead of them, and could still be used. That was a long-term project originally designed to keep flying for a long time.

Personally, I'd like to see us start making Big, Dumb Rockets. Cheap but dependable and made here. But then again, I'd like to see NASA completely retooled into an R and D effort, like it once was.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at July 02, 2013 04:17 PM (0HooB)

118 Liquid at room temperature and perfect for long-term storage in a missile silo There, I knew it had something to do with storing it!

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:17 PM (2/T/u)

119 101
According to the AP, Zimmerman had a very bad day in court.

True?

Doesn't matter. The AP will publish whatever it wants people to know.

---

Speaking of which, Zimmerman's family was removed from the court on day one, because they may be called to testify. Meanwhile, Martin's parents, subject to be called also, are allowed to stay, and can be seen taking notes and shaking their heads "no" at certain testimony favorable to Zimmerman. WTF gives?

Posted by: Craig Poe at July 02, 2013 04:17 PM (BVkEs)

120 It's like obama's erection when he sees moochelle naked with the lights on.

Posted by: waldo at July 02, 2013 04:17 PM (hc19V)

121

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 08:14 PM (2/T/u)

Sorry to read that you're "sans" Thor, Tammy.

Hope the re-docking is scheduled to happen soon.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:18 PM (XWSNs)

122 I hope the Russkies were shipping up far more valuable assets than claimed, and helplessly watched billions in spy tech cinderize.

Posted by: Lincolntf at July 02, 2013 04:18 PM (ZshNr)

123
I consulted my magic 8-ball if George Zimmerman would be acquitted.

Magic 8-ball said, "Don't count on it."

Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 04:19 PM (FC8Yl)

124 Sooth, I forgot to mention the ME they put on the stand who never examined anything in person and testified about GZ's injuries from photographs. It was so bad that Braca could no longer contain himself and started sending out openly mocking tweets.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at July 02, 2013 04:19 PM (jjvz+)

125 The space shuttles used hypergolics for the maneuvering thrusters. The big problem with them is when a valve leaks.

It took quite a while to safe a shuttle after landing before opening the hatch. That was to ensure there were no hidden residue nasties hiding the thrusters waiting to injure the ground crew

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:19 PM (/gHaE)

126 The state called this ME with a questionable background who was so skeezy in her testimonial bias for the state, that she shot herself in the foot. Not the state are trying to introduce GZ's transcripts and have one of his instructors testify that he was aware of SYG. So? Are now penalized for knowing the law? And since the law is complicated and evolving, taking a criminal justice course does not an expert make.

Posted by: waldo at July 02, 2013 04:20 PM (hc19V)

127 Sharknado thread up

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at July 02, 2013 04:20 PM (jjvz+)

128
According to the AP: Dr. Valerie Rao testified that Zimmerman's injuries were insignificant, bolstering the prosecution's claims that Zimmerman's life wasn't in jeopardy during his fight with Martin. "They were so minor that the individual who treated and examined Mr. Zimmerman decided stitches weren't required," Rao said.

Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 04:20 PM (052zE)

129 Thanks, wheatie! Hopefully soon! The Russians were just the cab, maybe? If ILS was the customer, they're the ones who lost their satellites, not the Russians. The Russians will have lost a rocket and some face and future launching business, but they probably weren't the ones who owned the sats.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:21 PM (2/T/u)

130

120...Speaking of which, Zimmerman's family was removed from the court on day one, because they may be called to testify. Meanwhile, Martin's parents, subject to be called also, are allowed to stay, and can be seen taking notes and shaking their heads "no" at certain testimony favorable to Zimmerman. WTF gives?

----------

I know, Craig Poe.

That's fucked up, isn't it.

In spite of how this show trial is being rigged against him...I hope Zimmerman is acquitted.

He should never have been charged in the first place.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:21 PM (XWSNs)

131 As Andrew keeps saying, you don't have to have your brains splattered all over the place to exercise self defense. The trayvonites, being the rocket scientists that they are, believe you do. Now the state is attacking Wests' grown daughter for posting a photo of them eating ice cream on the internet. Must have hurt tire neck's widdle feelings.

Posted by: waldo at July 02, 2013 04:22 PM (hc19V)

132 Sometimes a good explosion, can better then sex if your close enough

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 04:22 PM (CMlD4)

133 Google Valerie Rao, and you'll find she has complaints from as far aways as Lubbock, Texas.

Posted by: Admiral Layton at July 02, 2013 04:23 PM (Jsiw/)

134 With an astronaut? which was the original point?

Cargo is cargo ;-> the vehicle don't care. If we really really needed a human in space for something critical, we'd get one there. We still got EVA suits.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:23 PM (/gHaE)

135 >>Russian rocket fuel isn't near as toxic as what we use; it's mostly kerosene. In a strange twist, my companies technology is based on testing that was done in the old Soviet Union on solid rocket fuel technology. Not such a great rocket technology but works amazingly well for our purposes. One of the best parts of the technology is that it is "green" in a field that is known for just the opposite. Go figure.

Posted by: JackStraw at July 02, 2013 04:23 PM (g1DWB)

136

129...Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 08:20 PM (052zE)

The AP left out the part about how she hadn't even examined Zimmerman, herself.

She just looked at the pictures of his injuries.

Posted by: wheatie at July 02, 2013 04:23 PM (XWSNs)

137

Anybody else notice what appears to be some sort of capsule ejecting from the tip of the rocket at 0:46?

Posted by: Foul Harold at July 02, 2013 04:24 PM (Uj/f4)

138 Hahahahahah! See what happens when you don't put anything into muzzie outreach!!

Posted by: NASA at July 02, 2013 04:24 PM (nIph2)

139 It sucks to be a surveyor today.

Posted by: Ed Anger at July 02, 2013 04:24 PM (tOkJB)

140 Remember, GZ said that he only shot the trademark when he reached for his gun -- not when he was beating him. And who wouldn't fear for ones life if some little asshole punches you in the face, knocking you down, straddling you and begins banging your head?

Posted by: waldo at July 02, 2013 04:24 PM (hc19V)

141
The AP left out the part about how...

You don't say.

Posted by: soothsayer at July 02, 2013 04:25 PM (vanqS)

142 As they used to say in pre-revolutionary Russia, "Shoot for the Tsars."

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at July 02, 2013 04:26 PM (pxDth)

143 The thing that looks like it's ejecting is probably one of the satellites.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:27 PM (2/T/u)

144 Here is the video I was thinking of back in #80. It was a Soyuz, not a Proton. I'm not sure what year it was: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl9u-h_btBo FWIW, the Soyuz family of rockets is one of the most reliable in history. They've had over 1500 launches since 1957 with about a 97% success rate. This was not one of them.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:28 PM (sdi6R)

145 some sort ofcapsule ejectingfrom the tip of the rocket

Its smoke of some sort. Might be self destruct charges, or something like a small eject mechanism for a data recorder, or the comsat PAM's (or whatever the Russians use for PAM'ish things) going off.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:29 PM (/gHaE)

146 One of the best parts of the technology is that it is "green" in a field that is known for just the opposite. Go figure. Posted by: JackStraw at July 02, 2013 08:23 PM (g1DWB) I think that's why Sea Launch was able to get the okay from the Xmas Island govt to launch at sea in their general vicinity ....the fuel wasn't especially dangerous to the ocean.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:30 PM (2/T/u)

147 According to the AP: Dr. Valerie Rao testified that Zimmerman's injuries were insignificant, bolstering the prosecution's claims that Zimmerman's life wasn't in jeopardy during his fight with Martin. "They were so minor that the individual who treated and examined Mr. Zimmerman decided stitches weren't required," Rao said. ------------------- Yes. He absolutely should have waited until he was thoroughly concussed and unable to respond. Then Voltron could have shot him with his own gun or continued beating him to death, at his option. This is how stupid liberals are. And this is why they shall be as Meats in the hands of my Death's Head Legions during the Burning Times.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at July 02, 2013 04:30 PM (JDIKC)

148 138 Anybody else noticewhat appears to be some sort ofcapsule ejectingfrom the tip of the rocket at 0:46? Posted by: Foul Harold at July 02, 2013 08:24 PM (Uj/f4) That would be the payload fairing and satellites breaking off from aerodynamic stresses. Rockets and their payloads are designed to go up, not sideways.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:30 PM (sdi6R)

149 We're all laughing about this, but the Russian safety record as far as loss of human life is better than ours, to say the least. Not sticking up for them, but I have great admiration for their space folks.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:31 PM (2/T/u)

150 Well, they eventually go sideways, but not that soon. Were these considered heavy loads? Were they LEO or MEO or geostationery? Yea,I know, Google is my friend.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:33 PM (2/T/u)

151 We're all laughing about this, but the Russian safety record as far as loss of human life is better than ours, to say the least. ------------- AHOY!

Posted by: Stalinisto at July 02, 2013 04:34 PM (JDIKC)

152 Oh, you, I meant in their space program!

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:36 PM (2/T/u)

153 150 We're all laughing about this, but the Russian safety record as far as loss of human life is better than ours, to say the least. Not sticking up for them, but I have great admiration for their space folks. Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 08:31 PM (2/T/u) That's true, Tammy. Soyuz 1 killed one cosmonaut in 1967, and Soyuz 11 killed three in 1971. They haven't had a fatality in space since, although they've had some close calls. In the U.S., Challenger killed seven astronauts in 1986 and Columbia killed another seven in 2003.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:36 PM (sdi6R)

154

@That would be the payload fairing and satellites breaking off from aerodynamic stresses.

Rockets and their payloads are designed to go up, not sideways.

Well, duh. Any explanation for the separate trail of smoke which simultaneously appears and the change it trajectory of the object in question?

Posted by: Foul Harold at July 02, 2013 04:36 PM (Uj/f4)

155 The second tier was the lowest tier of bloggers to escape the miss-struction,
which of course was the whole point of the commie exercise.

That Russki was just starting to go into his Hindenburg announcer impersonation when the audio was cut.

Posted by: ontherocks at July 02, 2013 04:37 PM (aivCN)

156 151 Well, they eventually go sideways, but not that soon. Were these considered heavy loads? Were they LEO or MEO or geostationery? Yea,I know, Google is my friend. Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 08:33 PM (2/T/u) I don't think there was anything unusual about this launch in terms of the payload. I'm not sure of the intended orbits of the satellites. In my uninformed speculation, it looked like a guidance problem in the rocket.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 04:40 PM (sdi6R)

157 144 The thing that looks like it's ejecting is probably one of the satellites.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 08:27 PM (2/T/u)

That would be the monkeys from Iran's space industry co-op.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Redneck Queen at July 02, 2013 04:40 PM (baL2B)

158 Someone mentioned glonas, if it was a glonas launch, that implies not-LEO. I don't know if they use MEO or polar birds to enhance resolutions and localized accuracy for their military grade stuff. They might. It wouldn't be something they'd be pimping for the commercial glonas...

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 04:44 PM (/gHaE)

159 There is a better video at Liveleak which shows more detail.

Posted by: Occupy Stupidity at July 02, 2013 04:45 PM (1Y+hH)

160 Somebody needs to play the knock out game with Dr. Rao's head.

Posted by: waldo at July 02, 2013 04:45 PM (hc19V)

161 go away sock

Posted by: Meremortal at July 02, 2013 04:47 PM (1Y+hH)

162 Drudge should have a gif of this playing on his page juxtaposed with the report on the delay in Obamcare.

Posted by: Meremortal at July 02, 2013 04:49 PM (1Y+hH)

163 I dunno, looks to me like it wasn't getting enough juice. They should be able to figure it out pretty quickly, that's another thing about Russian tech...usually pretty simple and basic!

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:51 PM (2/T/u)

164 I was just wondering about the weight of the payload because the geostationery sats are much heavier and Is wear it looks to me like it was stalling a bit! But GPS sats are probably MEO. I wonder who built 'em? ILS works a lot with Inmarsat.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:53 PM (2/T/u)

165 35. This is true, but if I were looking to go to the space station I might start thinking about walking instead of hitching a ride with the Russkies.

Posted by: Yesiamapirate at July 02, 2013 04:57 PM (f9kXD)

166 These kinds of rocket failures are not all that uncommon; I'd still ride with the Russkies! It's the Chinese I'd avoid.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 04:58 PM (2/T/u)

167 According to Wikipedia, Proton generates 1.9 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. America's Saturn I in the 1960s and 70s had about 1.5 million pounds. So this is a pretty big rocket. The Soyuz rocket used for manned launches has about 900,000 pounds of thrust, as does SpaceX's Falcon 9. SpaceX is working on an upgrade that will take it to 1.3 million pounds of thrust, but it hasn't flown yet.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 05:00 PM (sdi6R)

168 152. Not really. Our failures were open for the world to see. Theirs...........ah, not so much. Either way, space travel is a dangerous business. Always has been, always will be.

Posted by: Yesiamapirate at July 02, 2013 05:01 PM (f9kXD)

169 I've seen pop bottle rockets go higher than that.

Posted by: dissent555 at July 02, 2013 05:05 PM (yR6A1)

170 rick, apropos of nothing except I love rockets, the Zenits are even bigger. I think the 3l is upwards of 1.6 million p.o.t.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 05:06 PM (2/T/u)

171 Looks like a structural failure in the main engine. Should have worked those bugs out by now in this design, makes me wonder about QC throughout the build process.

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 05:07 PM (CMlD4)

172 It was doing fine thrustwise until the fishtailing right after launch. Once the thrust vector isn't inline with the center of gravity, a simple trig calculation will tell you how much the vertical thrust has been reduced and side thrust increased.

All it takes is a tiny vertical thrust loss at that phase to send shit wonky

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 05:11 PM (/gHaE)

173 Martin's family is in the courtroom because Florida law allows the family of the victim to attend. Don't ask me how I know that; I read it someplace today...

Posted by: Juan de Hattatime at July 02, 2013 05:15 PM (CqZmo)

174 Jean, nowadays, software issues can cause failures, too. You'd be surprised out how little things like a valve not closing can make things go boom and a lot of that is programmed ahead of time. It didn't get far enough up for it to be anything but an engine issue, seems to me, which is a very broad area, I grant you. Something cut off the fuel somehow.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 05:15 PM (2/T/u)

175 All it takes is a tiny vertical thrust loss at that phase to send shit wonky Yep. Sometimes one part is broken, but the other one is still trying to go up! We need a rocket thread. I miss that stuff. I don't miss the stress, but it never ceased to amaze me.

Posted by: Tammy sans Thor at July 02, 2013 05:19 PM (2/T/u)

176 Tammy, I missed your #106 earlier. You used to work in the satellite launching business? Cool. Personally (and I'm not in the industry), I think kerosene and liquid oxygen are best for first stages. They're cheap and pretty easy to handle. Liquid hydrogen is much more difficult to handle, and therefore more expensive. It's better utilized in upper stages, which require smaller quantities. Hypergolics are best used for thruster fuels in spacecraft. They're super-reliable, but also highly toxic. Spacecraft only need tiny quantities of them. Proton-M uses hypergolics in the first stage. That's a lot of nasty shit.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 05:30 PM (sdi6R)

177 Wooohooh!!!!
Yeehaw!!!
Blowed up real Good!!!

Posted by: Billy Sol Hurok and Big Jim McBob at July 02, 2013 05:39 PM (jfWE9)

178 At that very early phase, the valves should all be wide open everything going pedal to the metal.

You wouldn't see any visible attitude adjustments until there was enough airspeed for the thing to become flight stable...which would probably be at a mile or two altitude. At that low altitude its just going to be gyros and minor corrections to keep the stack straight.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at July 02, 2013 05:39 PM (/gHaE)

179 The other video seems to show a nozzle shift or collapse. The controls for that part of the boost phase (gimballing and timing) should be long dialed in and redundant. The guys who wrote that firmware should be retired by now and that stuff stays untouched short of a change order from God.

Additionally the loss of one booster due to fuel flow (for whatever reason) should be a sustainable fault. My gut says material failure in the thruster, which lead to an additional thrust vector that the control system couldn't handle. Just from two videos, I don't have anymore information.

The two bolded statements in the text below make me thing engine problem.

From the RT.com article:

The crashed Proton-M rocket employed a DM-03 booster, which was being used for the first time since December 2010, when another Proton-M rocket with the same booster failed to deliver yet another three GLONASS satellites into orbit, crashing into the Pacific Ocean some 1,500 kilometers from Honolulu.

After the 2010 crash, the investigative commission concluded that technicians miscalculated the amount of fuel needed for the DM-3 rocket booster.

TuesdayÂ’s incident was the fifth launch of a Proton-M rocket in 2013 and the 388th overall launch of a Proton rocket.

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 05:45 PM (CMlD4)

180 Nice summary of the Russian GLOSNASS program and space failures from the tail end of the RT.com article. Actually looks like journalism.

The next Proton-M launch was scheduled for July 21. It was supposed to deliver a commercial ASTRA 2E broadcast satellite for Europe into orbit.

GLONASS is a network of Russian navigation satellites designed to ensure global positioning, and is viewed as a direct rival to the American Global Positioning System (GPS). Its worldwide operation requires 24 working satellites.

There are currently 28 GLONASS satellites in orbit, 23 of which are in operation, four in reserve and one next generation GLONASS-K satellite undergoing tests.

By 2020 Russia intends to spend over 300 billion rubles ($9 billion) on Glonass.

Russia has already conducted 15 launches from Baikonur and Plesetsk cosmodromes in 2013 and 23 more launches are expected to be made by the end of the year.
Failed Russian space launches

The Russian space industry has suffered from a series of launch failures over the last several years.

On December 5, 2010 a Proton-M rocket with a DM-03 booster failed to deliver three GLONASS-M satellites into orbit.

In February 2011 a Geo-IK-2 geodesic satellite with military applications was lost after a Briz-KM booster unsuccessfully delivered the satellite into orbit.

On August 2011 a Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M booster and Express-AM4 satellite aboard lost communication with the control center.

On August 24 a Soyuz-U rocket carrying a Progress M-12M spaceship as cargo launched from Baikonur but did not reach orbit after failing in the first stage.

On November 9 a Zenith rocket launched from Baikonur delivered into orbit for the first time in 30 years RussiaÂ’s Mars probe Fobos-Grunt. But the probeÂ’s engines failed to start in time and it subsequently plummeted back to Earth, partially burning in the atmosphere.

In December 2011 a launch of a Meridian military telecommunication satellite from Plesetsk cosmodrome was reportedly unsuccessful due to engine failure.

On August 6, 2012, the launch of a Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M booster failed to deliver two communication satellites Â– Russian Express-MD and Indonesian Telkom-3 Â– into orbit. Officially the booster failed to perform the fourth crucial thrust.

On December 8, 2012 another Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M booster delivered a Yamal-402 communication satellite to off-nominal orbit Â– again due to a Briz-M booster failure. But later the satellite reached the desired orbit using its own orbit correction engine.

With TuesdayÂ’s Proton-M failure, three accidents have already beset RussiaÂ’s space industry in 2013.

On January 15 the secret launch of a rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome partially failed as three military Strela-3M communication satellites were delivered to non-nominal orbits. The military later reported that all the satellites we taken under control and functioned properly. The media however, said that only two of them were ultimately brought under control.

On February 1 a Zenith-3SL rocket Â– a joint project between the Russian and Ukrainian space agencies Â– with an Intelsat-27 communication satellite failed to reach orbit. Launched from the Odyssey platform, which belongs to the international Sea Launch program, the rocket fell into the Pacific some 30 seconds after takeoff. The crash was caused by a malfunction of the first stage of the Zenith rocket, which was designed and built in Ukraine.

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 05:46 PM (CMlD4)

181 l bet if I tape enough roman candles together I can reenact that puppy Thursday night. (heads out to shop)

Posted by: Vlad the Upholsterer at July 02, 2013 05:47 PM (ypFNL)

182 I saw the following comment at NSF.com: I've heard from an ILS friend they think it was a complete failure of one engine's gimbal system which moved to full angle outboard, resulting in the other engine nozzles moving to counter, which resulted in an over reaction.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 05:48 PM (sdi6R)

183 Personally (and I'm not in the industry), I think kerosene and liquid oxygen are best for first stages. They're cheap and pretty easy to handle.

Liquid hydrogen is much more difficult to handle, and therefore more expensive. It's better utilized in upper stages, which require smaller quantities.

Hypergolics are best used for thruster fuels in spacecraft. They're super-reliable, but also highly toxic. Spacecraft only need tiny quantities of them.

Proton-M uses hypergolics in the first stage. That's a lot of nasty shit.

Posted by: rickl at July 02, 2013 09:30 PM (sdi6R)

Solid fuel first stages -- all or nothing baby.

Posted by: Jean at July 02, 2013 05:48 PM (CMlD4)

184 By 2020 Russia intends to spend over 300 billion rubles ($9 billion) on Glonass.

Pfft. I spend that much on green fees.

Posted by: Barry at July 02, 2013 06:00 PM (uPbpg)

185 Add 100 million dead and you have socialism.

Posted by: David at July 02, 2013 06:00 PM (S+1tM)

186 Jean remember when the ESA launched the first Ariane 5 and it failed. Turned out somehow the software for the Ariane 4 had been used.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at July 02, 2013 06:27 PM (03nHa)

187 34 This is likely not a good thing for the long term development of GLONASS. Posted by: tsrblke at July 02, 2013 07:58 PM (GaqMa) I gave Barry a glowin' ass just last week.

Posted by: Reggie Love's Fist of Pleasure at July 02, 2013 07:23 PM (7cS5n)

188 Off, off, you naughty sock!

Posted by: Michael the hobbit, but you can call me Michael at July 02, 2013 07:25 PM (7cS5n)

189 There are no deaths or injuries I'm aware of. Do the Rooskies know about the "Range Safety Officer" position?

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie ® at July 03, 2013 05:21 AM (1hM1d)

190 Saturn 1 did not power the Apollo moon missions, that was the Saturn 5, with 7+ million pounds of thrust. No Saturn 5 rocket ever failed, but there were some recoverable engine failures. The USSR equivalent, the N1, never succeeded, and one of the failures resulted in the fully-fueled rocket dropping right back onto the launchpad from only about 200 feet up. That resulted in the destruction of the entire launch complex, including launch control and its occupants. US nuclear- test monitoring systems detected it and issued a code WTF?!

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at July 03, 2013 05:37 AM (XRsgK)

191 Tetris used to be a really riveting game, but has been trivialized with these Proton-M gaming consoles.

Posted by: They Can't Have My French Fries at July 03, 2013 08:09 AM (MDr17)

192 I know this thread is dead, but I just realized I forgot to give proper credit as to where I found this video. It was at NASASpaceflight.com, specifically this thread: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31191.0 There are 18 pages of comments so far. The launch was on page 6. In other words, I could have watched it live if I had bothered to check that site beforehand.

Posted by: rickl at July 03, 2013 03:12 PM (sdi6R)

193 I've mentioned it before, but NASASpaceflight.com (often abbreviated as NSF.com) is not affiliated with NASA. It was started in 2005 by a British sports journalist and Space Shuttle enthusiast, Chris Bergin. Since then, it has grown to the point where it has members in scores of countries all over the world, and even some current and former NASA employees. Their coverage of foreign space programs is probably unequaled in the English-speaking world.

Posted by: rickl at July 03, 2013 03:27 PM (sdi6R)

194 NSF.com had a memorial thread when Neil Armstrong died, and it was widely acknowledged that the best comment came from a young Russian member who wasn't even alive at the time of the first moon landing: "That's one small death for the man; one giant loss for all mankind."

Posted by: rickl at July 03, 2013 03:41 PM (sdi6R)

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