ABOUT $200 million of satellite technology was destroyed in seconds this morning after a Russian Proton-M rocket crashed shortly after blasting-off in Kazakhstan.
The rocket was unmanned and no-one on the ground was reported injured after the rocket began twisting, then flying horizontally before breaking up and exploding in a fireball as it struck the ground. The three navigation satellites onboard were valued at about $200 million, The Guardian reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Guardian points out that Russia is ramping up its spending on space projects, but its efforts have been "plagued" in recent years by a series of setbacks. They include botched satellite launches and a failed attempt to send a probe to a moon of Mars.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
