Russia-launched satellite plunges into Pacific: Official
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Buy SPH photosMOSCOW (AFP) - A Russian rocket carrying a US telecommunications satellite plunged into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, only moments after being launched from a mobile sea platform.
"There was an accident during the Zenit rocket launch," a source at the Energia corporation that makes the Zenit-3SL rocket used to launch the Intelsat satellite said by telephone.
"The rocket fell into the Pacific Ocean. We have formed a commission to figure out the cause."
Energia chief Vitaly Lopota said the Russian rocket's engine appeared to fail less than a minute after the evening launch.
