BERLIN (AP) — The European Area Company stated Friday that an investigation into the failure of a rocket carrying two Earth commentary satellites final yr indicated the cause was a defective part procured from Ukraine.
The Vega C rocket ditched within the sea lower than three minutes after liftoff from a spaceport in French Guiana in December. Arianespace, which offered the launch service, stated on the time that lower in strain was noticed within the rocket’s second stage, “resulting in the untimely finish of the mission.”
“The cause of the failure was a gradual deterioration of the Zefiro 40’s nozzle,” the European Area Company stated.
The Zefiro 40 second stage, made by Italian area firm Avio, suffered “an sudden thermo-mechanical over-erosion” of a carbon element procured in Ukraine, it stated.
Pierre-Yves Tissier of Arianespace stated the conclusion was based mostly on an examination of an identical elements and nonetheless wanted to be confirmed via additional assessments.
ESA added that throughout the inquiry “no weak point within the design of Zefiro 40 has been revealed.”
The launch was the third failure prior to now eight launches of Vega and Vega C rockets, a humiliation for the company and its companions.
“We are going to overcome this very troublesome second,” Arianespace head Stephane Israel informed reporters.
ESA chief Josef Aschbacher added that measures would now be carried out “to get out of this disaster stronger.”
The launch was meant to take two Earth commentary satellites made by Airbus, Pleiades Neo 5 and 6, into orbit. The satellites would have been part of a constellation able to taking pictures of any level on the globe with a decision of 30 centimeters (12 inches).
