Foton-M No. 1
Soyuz-U-PVB
Russian Space Forces
Mission
Foton-M No. 1
- Type: Earth Science
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
Foton-M No.1 was a mission by the European Space Agency aboard a Russian Soyuz-U rocket that failed to launch successfully. The spacecraft’s payload consisted of 44 experiments prepared by the European Space Agency, Fluidpac, BIOPAN-4, Telescience Support Unit, and others. Investigation found that the most likely cause of the failure was debris being ingested into the Blok D hydrogen peroxide pump, cutting off the supply of lubricant to the turbopumps. This was the first failure of an R-7 launch vehicle in the first two minutes of launch since 1988.
Location
43/3 (43L)
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
43/3 (43L) has witnessed the launch of 229 rockets, including 229 orbital launch attempts, while Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation, has been the site for 1667 rocket launches.
Rocket
Progress Rocket Space Center Soyuz-U-PVB
A Russian orbital launch vehicle. A version of the Soyuz-U with safety modifications to prevent and resist fires in all stages and the upper stage avionics compartment.
Agency
Russian Space Forces
The Russian Space Forces are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Russia. Having been reestablished following August 1, 2015 merger between the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces after a 2011 dissolving of the branch. The Russian Space Forces were originally formed on August 10, 1992 and the creation of the Russian Armed Forces.
