4 Jul 2010 21:50

Radio glitch cause of failed spacecraft-Intl Space Station docking attempt

KOROLYOV, Moscow Region. July 4 (Interfax-AVN) - The cause of Friday's abortive operation to dock Russian supply spacecraft Progress M-06M with the International Space Station was a radio contact glitch in one of the docking systems, a deputy head of the Federal Space Agency said after a successful second docking attempt on Sunday.

However, the Progress' new digital control system had not been the source of the trouble, agency deputy chief Vitaly Davydov told reporters at the mission control outside Moscow.

"A commission is working on the cause of the unstable contact. We will definitely get to the source of the unstable contact within the next two weeks," said the president of the Energia rocket and space corporation, Vitaly Lopota.