[FPSPACE] Cosmos-1

[DwayneDay]

-----Original Message-----
From: Bart Hendrickx <bhen at scarlet.be>

>ITAR-TASS is now quoting officials of the Russian Navy and the Makeyev
design bureau as saying that the Volna first stage unexpectedly shut down 83
seconds after lift-off, adding that unlike the standard Volna SLBM the
"space version" does not have an automatic destruct system for such an
eventuality. 


A colleague at work suggested that this was Beagle 2 all over again--in other words, trying to do something on too small a budget.  In the case of Beagle 2, one of the big mistakes was not recognizing that there is a level of risk that is not worth taking, no matter how little money you have.

But is that the case for this solar sail project?  I honestly don't know myself, which is why I'm tossing the question out there.  What is the launch record for this rocket?  Were any corners cut that should not have been?



DDAY