Russian attempt to launch 18 satellites fails

A Russian rocket aiming to put 18 satellites into orbit failed and crashed to the ground shortly after lift-off tonight, the Interfax news agency reported.

The Dnepr rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying a Russian satellite and 17 foreign satellites, including one from Belarus and others from countries including the US and Italy, Russian news agencies reported.

The rocket fell to earth about 15 miles south of the launch site, Interfax quoted Russian space agency deputy chief Yuri Nosenko as saying. He said there was no damage or injuries on the ground.

Citing an unidentified mission control official, Interfax reported that preliminary information indicated a problem occurred when the rocket’s third stage detached.

RIA-Novosti and ITAR-Tass, also citing unnamed officials, said the engine shut off 86 seconds into the flight.

Russia’s space programme has suffered several embarrassing failures over the past year or so, jeopardising its hopes of earning more revenue from commercial launches of foreign satellites.

The launch of a rocket carrying a European weather satellite was postponed indefinitely last week because of a problem discovered minutes before lift-off.