MOSCOW. Sept 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The recent crash of the Progress M-12M resupply spacecraft could have been caused by the employment of substandard materials in manufacturing an RD-0110 engine of the third stage of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, a source from Russia's space rocket industry told Interfax referring to findings by the commission investigating the crash.
"Along with the theory involving an inappropriately welded joint on a piping in the engine, the commission members are also considering the employment of low quality material in constructing this piping," the source said.
This could have led to the piping's depressurization and ensuing engine failure due to it, he said.
"This raises questions as to whether there was appropriate technical control in manufacturing the engine," he said.