Voronezh Mechanical Plant denies that litter was found in Proton-M engine
VORONEZH. Dec 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Media reports alleging that the launch of a Proton-M rocket carrying the EchoStar-21 satellite has been delayed because of litter found in the rocket's engine are inaccurate, a representative of the Voronezh Mechanical Plant told Interfax.
"Reports about litter found in the engine assembled at our plant are wrong, it seems to be a mere hoax," he said, adding that the plant would not be visited by inspectors.
The media said with reference to a source in the rocket and space industry that litter was found in the engine of a rocket stage manufactured by the Voronezh Mechanical Plant, which caused a delay of the Proton-M launch and an inspection of the plant.
The rocket carrying the U.S. communication satellite was scheduled to take off on December 22. A source in Baikonur told Interfax that the launch of the Proton-M with the EchoStar-21 satellite was delayed until 2017 because of technical problems discovered in the rocket's first stage.
The EchoStar 21 is a powerful geostationary communication satellite built by Systems/Loral under a contract with leading global satellite communication operator EchoStar Corporation (U.S.).
The EchoStar 21 is designed to provide mobile satellite communication services in Europe and should become the sixth satellite in the EchoStar satellite cluster launched on board a Proton space vehicle.