Launch of European spacecraft to the Plesetsk again did not take place

Run the launcher Rockot with European scientific spacecraft GOCE, to be held on Monday from the Plesetsk in Arkhangelsk region, was postponed for 7 seconds before launch. Starting moved back to the date - March 17, "- told the" Interfax "the Assistant Commander of the Space Forces Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Zolotukhin.

According to him, during a recent pre-checks of technical systems has revealed a failure, because of what had to start to move.

And the European Space Agency (ESA) said that the reason was the refusal to cancel the launch of the opening of the launch service tower leaves the barrel.

GOCE Launch originally scheduled for autumn 2008, but has transferred because of problems in the work of one of the blocks of control system booster unit, recalls the .

The agency, however, has had marked "urgent" to send the unit into space, referring to his correspondent of the Permanent Mission of ESA in Moscow, which goes live television with the Plesetsk launch site.

Note that the message came to the agency by 17:23 Moscow time, ie three minutes after the scheduled start time - 17:21. And after three minutes - 17:26 to news agency urgently annulled the previous information.

Recall, in September last year a similar manner "" Chinese Xinhua. It was early published an article which allegedly contained a transcript of conversations between crew members during the launch the third Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7, as well as, presumably, during the crucial phase of the expedition - the first in the history of the country out in open space.

Xinhua soon withdrew the article from your website, but alert the foreign media to closely monitor the historic event, is not spared this time carefully.

With regard to the device GOCE, it will be the first in a series of new projects for the Exploration of the Earth, which will be implemented within the framework of the ESA Living Planet. " It will help scientists understand how to affect the Earth's gravitational field on ocean currents, changes in water level in the ocean and climate.

Due to previously unattainable precision measurement specialists will also examine the underlying processes in the bowels of the earth in the field of high volcanic and seismic activity. The accuracy of measurements will provide a modern equipped with six sensors. The mass of the spacecraft - 1200 kg.

Conversion booster Rockot created in the State Space Scientific and Production Center. Khrunichev-based intercontinental ballistic missile RS-18. The first launch vehicle took place on 20 November 1990 relating to mine launcher from Baikonur on a ballistic trajectory.

From Plesetsk launch Rockot implemented since 2000. To date, with the northern executed nine launches of missiles of this type, including eight fully successful.

Starting weight of the launcher - 107 tons, length - 28 meters, diameter - 2,5 meter. Engines of all levels are using highly toxic components of fuel.