From AP:
New Russian ballistic missile fails
Wed Oct 25, 11:13 AM ET
MOSCOW - An experimental Russian ballistic missile veered off its course shortly after having been launched from a Russian nuclear submarine and fell into the sea Wednesday, officials said, its second launch failure in as many months that signals serious problems with the nation's much-lauded new weapon.
The Bulava missile was launched from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine in the White Sea toward a testing range on the fareastern Kamchatka Peninsula, but it veered off its designated flight path and fell into the sea, the navy said in a statement.
The previous Bulava launch from the same submarine on Sept. 7 also ended in failure, prompting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov to urge quick action to prevent the mishap from damaging plans for commissioning new Borei-class submarines.
Three such submarines currently under construction are to be equipped with Bulava.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061025/ap_on_sc/russia_space_1 |