Proton Accident Investigation Also Delays Rockot Launches

摘要

The launch of a European satellite to take precise measurements of Earth's gravity field has been delayed by at least three months, to August, because its Rockot launch vehicle uses the same hardware that failed on a larger Russian Proton rocket in March. The satellite also may need to be placed into a different orbit because of the delay, program managers said here April 3. The Goce satellite, which will measure Earth's gravity field and study ocean circulation, is designed to fly in an unusually low orbit of 250 kilometers in altitude.