Two Russian Space Officials Axed After Proton Failure

摘要

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in a decision whose severity is matched by its swiftness, has dismissed two high-ranking officials from Russia's space industry and space agency and publicly reprimanded the space agency's chief as a result of the Dec. 5 failure of a Proton rocket carrying three Russian Glonass navigation satellites.rnIn a statement posted Dec. 29 on die website of the Russian president's office, Medvedev announced the dismissal of Vyacheslav Filin, first deputy general designer of RSC Energia of Korolev, Russia. Energia is prime contractor for the Block DM-3 upper stage that was the source of the launch failure.