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ILS Proton Investigation Panel Releases Results of Initial Review
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McLEAN, Va., Jan. 29, 2003 - The Failure Review Oversight Board 
convened by International Launch Services (ILS) has completed its 
initial review of an investigation into a failed Russian rocket launch 
blamed on a Block DM upper stage.

The ILS board met last week in Moscow with members of the Russian 
State Commission that investigated the Nov. 26 launch of a 
Proton/Block DM vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The 
failure left the ASTRA 1K satellite in a lower-than-planned orbit. The 
ILS board also met with representatives from Khrunichev State Research 
and Production Space Center, RSC Energia and hardware subcontractors.

The State Commission exonerated the three-stage Proton vehicle built 
by Khrunichev. The failure was attributed to contamination in engine 
components of the Block DM upper stage, made by Energia. The 
propellant used was not cited as a potential root cause.

The fuel used in the Block DM, a synthetic kerosene known as syntin 
that was developed by Energia, was tested before launch as part of 
normal preflight processing, and after the failure. The fuel met all 
Russian government specifications.

The anomaly occurred at the start of the second Block DM main engine 
burn.  There was excessive fuel in the main engine when it was 
ignited, which led to extraordinarily high temperatures that destroyed 
the engine, the commission found.

In the final report, the State Commission was unable to pinpoint a 
single root cause for the failure. It identified two possible 
scenarios for the fuel build-up, both attributed to contamination that 
interfered with the normal operation of fuel metering components, 
resulting in excess fuel in the gas generator.

In one scenario, "stray particles" clogged the manifolds through which 
fuel is drained from the starting-fluid feed line after the first 
burn. In the other, the contaminants clogged a valve designed to 
supply fuel to the gas generator injector, causing the valve to leak.

"We may never know the root cause of the contamination in the Block DM
engine," said Eric Laursen, ILS vice president and chief engineer as 
well as chairman of the ILS review board. "It may have been introduced 
during the manufacturing process, or following acceptance of the 
engine, and could have affected the engine at any time in the flight."

The ILS review board is continuing its evaluation of the two 
scenarios, pending the receipt of additional data from the State 
Commission this week.  The review board will also evaluate a 
corrective action plan being developed by Energia to address the State 
Commission's concerns. The State Commission made several 
recommendations in such areas as Block DM testing and inspection for 
contaminants. The corrective action plan is due to the commission by 
mid-February. The commission in turn will review the plan to determine 
the validity and sufficiency of the proposed remedies.

"Only when the ILS review board is confident that a robust plan is in 
place, to ensure quality in newly manufactured as well as existing 
hardware, will commercial flights using the Block DM upper stage 
resume," Laursen said.

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Contact: Fran Slimmer, International Launch Services, McLean, Va.;
1-571-633-7462; mobile: 1-646-229-4801; fran.slimmer{at}lmco.com.

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