Three leaders of the Khrunichev Center lost their posts

The government commission fired three heads of the Khrunichev Space Center, responsible for the accident of the Proton-M launch vehicle. It was reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the OPC of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

"For improper performance of duties in the manufacture and preparation for the launch of the Proton-M launch vehicle, the deputy general director of the Khrunichev Center Alexander Kobzar, the head of the final assembly workshop Valery Grekov, the head of the technical control department, Mikhail Lebedev," Rogozin said.

In addition, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, “a number of officials who did not provide the necessary technologies and control during the assembly of the Proton-M launch vehicle are also brought to disciplinary liability.

On July 2, the Proton-M launch vehicle with the DM-03 acceleration unit and three GLONASS satellites fell in the first minute of the flight . There were no victims and destruction at the starting complex.

On July 18, the deputy head of Roscosmos, Alexander Lopatin, announced the results of the work of the emergency commission he headed. The main cause of the Proton accident was the incorrect operation of the sensor . "The accident occurred as a result of the loss of stabilization through the gearing channel due to the emergency functioning of the angular velocity sensor," Lopatin said.

A source close to the commission explained that the accident occurred due to the error of collectors. When connecting, they confused the sensors pole. Because of this, the Proton-M management system received incorrect data on its orientation. According to the source, a comprehensive check of the rocket was to be performed twice - at the manufacturer and on Baikonur. Nevertheless, the error in connecting the sensors was not both times noticed. The commission rejected the versions of breakdowns in the engines of the first stage and in the equipment of the starting complex.

On August 2, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced the head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin , accusing him of improper performance of his duties. Popovkin has been heading the department since 2011.

On August 5, at the final meeting of the Commission for the Investigation of the Causes of the Proton accident, Rogozin said that the space industry of Russia would soon exhaust the existing scientific reserve . Measures taken by Roscosmos to increase product quality control did not lead to the expected results, Rogozin noted. He emphasized that low technological discipline remains at the industry enterprises, and sometimes criminal negligence occurs. At the same time, there is no material and administrative liability of the heads of industry enterprises. The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that the Proton accident led to a loss of 6 billion rubles, a blow to the country's prestige was struck.