MOSCOW. Nov 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The European Union Satellite Center has been able to raise the orbit of the Astra-1K satellite, which failed to reach its calculated orbit due to a technical problem during its recent launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome. The orbit was raised from 180 km to 301 km, the press service for the Russian Space Troops told Interfax on Wednesday.
This orbit is close to circular, the press service said.
These maneuvers have made it possible to considerably extend the time during which the space vehicle will be in orbit and have helped develop a clearer scenario of how the satellite will return to Earth. There are plans to dump it in a safe region of the Pacific Ocean.
The European Union Satellite Center is maintaining constant contact with the satellite, the Russian Space Troops said.
The DM-3 booster failed when the rocket engines were switched on for the second time, as a result of which the booster's platform became separated from the space vehicle, thus preventing the satellite from entering the calculated orbit, the press service said.
After the booster was separated from the satellite, the 15 tonnes of rocket fuel in the booster were automatically dispersed into space, the press service said.
The satellite now has a mass of 3,000 tonnes. The experts expect the satellite to burn completely when it is dumped into the ocean. They also believe that it presents no danger to the Earth.