Tim Furniss/LONDON
THE LOSS OF THE Long March 2E booster after launch on 26 January (Flight International, 8-14 February) was caused by an explosion aboard the Hughes HS 601 ApStar 2 satellite, a Chinese newspaper has claimed.
"The satellite's explosion caused the rocket's explosion, which was entirely the responsibility of the US-made satellite," the newspaper, Ta Kumg Pao, says.
Hughes will not comment on the report and indicates that a full investigation is required, rather than a cursory analysis of television coverage of the launch.
The newspaper echoes observations made by industry analysts after studying frame-by-frame TV coverage of the explosion aboard the 2E at T+51s. The first source of flame clearly emanates from the top of the rocket.
The controversial loss of the Hughes HS 601 Optus B2 satellite, in a mysterious 2E launch "failure" in December 1992, occurred at T+48s when either the spacecraft exploded, causing the launcher's payload fairings to be torn away prematurely; or the fairings released, resulting in the satellite exploding. Hughes and Chinese officials have never agreed publicly as to the cause, but no other HS-601 launched on alternative Atlas and Ariane vehicles has experienced a similar problem.
The Optus and ApStar failures occurred as the 2Es were within the "Max Q", period of maximum aerodynamic pressure. The insurance industry will be very anxious for Hughes and China to reveal fully any similarity in the two incidents. The ApStar was insured for $160 million. Premiums for further Long March launches are expected to rise by 20%.
No further Hughes-built satellites are firmly booked to fly Chinese boosters, although the company has a long-term agreement guaranteeing Long March rides to orbit.
China's next six launches are of spacecraft built by Martin Marietta Astro Space (Asiasat 2, Echostar 1 and 2, and Intelsat 801 and 805) and Space Systems/Loral (Intelsat 708).
Source: Flight International
