Investigators find faulty software behind Russian spacecraft failure

MOSCOW, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Russian spacecraft accident last month, which resulted in the loss of 19 satellites, was caused by imperfect software, Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos said Tuesday.

A commission established to investigate the accident concluded that an incorrect algorithm in a spatial orientation control system caused the accident, Roscosmos said in a statement.

The agency will correct the faulty algorithm and develop new modern integrated methods for simulating and controlling the flight characteristics of launch vehicles, the statement said.

On Nov. 28, Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying 19 satellites from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Far East, but the base lost communication with the spacecraft shortly after it took off. It was later confirmed that the upper stage of the rocket with the satellites fell into the ocean.

This was the second spacecraft launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome as Russia seeks to reduce its dependence on the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Roscosmos said a separate commission will look into organizational issues, assessing the responsibility of officials. Enditem