The reason for the cancellation of the "Angara" was a drain valve malfunction

The reason for the cancellation of the first test launch of the latest Russian launch vehicle "Angara" was a malfunction of the valve of the drainage of the tank of liquid oxygen. This conclusion was given by a commission investigating the causes of an abnormal situation, Interfax reports citing a source in the missile and space industry.

During the pre -sample check, the reduction of the boost of the tank of liquid oxygen went through the reduced pressure of the boost of the tank, the source said. At the same time, the refueling of the LCD was regular. Initially, the experts had three versions: a malfunction of the sensors in the LCD tank, a malfunction of the Back Back of Back, a valve malfunction. Inspection of the product showed that the drainage valve remained in the open position. The valve is designed to reset excess pressure. The reasons for his emergency work are being clarified.

On June 27, the first test "Angara" from the Cosmodrome Plesetsk was postponed for a day . The commander of the airborne defense troops, Lieutenant General Alexander Golovko, reported to President of Russia Vladimir Putin that there was an automatic abolition of launch.

The next day, the second attempt was made, but the start did not take place again . "The launch vehicle will be removed from the starting complex, transferred to a technical position where a comprehensive analysis will be carried out. After eliminating the comments, the new start date will be announced additionally," the center said.

It was planned that at the first launch of the "Angara" will withdraw the second stage of the launch vehicle with an insoluble overall-mass layout of the payload.

In October, the head of Roscosmos Oleg Ostapenko called the Angara missile, the main space project of Russia for the last two decades, a dead end decision . “I believe that“ Angara ”is a dead end decision for the subsequent development of our country in this area,” the official said at the meeting shortly after appointing it to the position. “Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a convincing program for the report to the president, no matter how difficult and unpleasant, because they convinced the other.”

The meeting participants told Izvestia that Ostapenko’s review of Angara surprised them. “We were shocked by what was said,” one of them remarked. According to the interlocutor of the publication, the Angara has the only drawback - the high cost.

The development of the Angara project began in 1994. In 2012, the then head of Roscosmos, Vladimir Popovkin, said that by that time 160 billion rubles were spent on the rocket. The first start of the "Angara" lightweight was originally scheduled for 2007. Then he was transferred several times.

The cost of "Angara" its manufacturer - the Khrunichev center - does not disclose. Indirect data indicate that the manufacture of a rocket costs the budget of more than 2.5 billion rubles. At least another 1 billion is estimated at the acceleration unit, a head fairing and a set of launch services. Meanwhile, the state of Proton launch vehicles acquires only 1.5 billion rubles at a price. Unlike "Protons", in which high toxic fuel is used, "Angara" uses kerosene and oxygen.