Intelsat 708
The Long March 3B rocket carrying the Intelsat 708 satellite begins to deviate from its course immediately after launch in these images from the report of the Cox Commission, which investigated the disaster for the US Congress
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| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | Intelsat |
| Mission duration | 15 years Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Intelsat VII-A |
| Bus | LS-1300 |
| Manufacturer | Space Systems/Loral |
| Launch mass | 4,180 kilograms (9,220 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 14 February 1996, 19:01 UTC |
| Rocket | Chang Zheng 3B |
| Launch site | Xichang LC-2 |
| Contractor | China Great Wall |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Epoch | Planned |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 26 C-band 14 Ku-band |
Intelsat 708 was a telecommunications satellite built by the American company Space Systems/Loral intended to be launched into a geostationary orbit and operated by Intelsat. It was destroyed during a launch failure on 15 February 1996, causing a large number of fatalities near the Xichang Satellite Launch Center near Xichang, People's Republic of China, prompting political controversy around the world.
Launch failure
The Intelsat 708 satellite was to be launched aboard a Long March 3B rocket. This rocket failed at launch due to an engineering defect and crashed into a village near the launch site (probably Mayelin village[1]) in an enormous explosion, destroying much of it and killing an unknown number of inhabitants.[2]
The nature and extent of the damage remain a subject of dispute; the Chinese government, through its official Xinhua news agency, reported that six people were killed and 57 injured. However, outside estimates suggest that anywhere between 200 to 500 people might have been killed in the crash; "hundreds" of people had gathered to witness the launch.[3] Reporters were detained at the center for 5 hours, and when they were being taken away from the site they reported that most buildings had sustained serious damage or had been flattened completely.[3] Some eyewitnesses were noted as having seen many flatbed trucks, loaded with what could have been human remains, being taken to the local hospital and dozens of ambulances.[3] Later analysis by the Space Review,[1] however, indicates that the total population of the village hit was under 1000, with most if not all the population evacuated before launch, making it "very unlikely" that there were hundreds of deaths.
Because Intelsat 708 contained sophisticated communications and encryption technology, and because portions of the debris were never located by the satellite's developers and may have been recovered by the government of People's Republic of China, Intelsat and the Clinton administration suffered criticism in the United States for allowing a possible illegal technology transfer to China. These concerns prompted an investigation by the U.S. Congress. In 2002, the United States Department of State charged Hughes Electronics and Boeing Satellite Systems with export control violations in connection with the failed launch of Intelsat 708 and the prior failed launch of the APSTAR II satellite. Boeing Co. and Hughes Electronics Corp. agreed to a $32 million settlement.[4]
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Congressional report discussing Intelsat 708 launch failure and possible technology transfer)
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Documents on Intelsat 708 and export controls, including State Department letter charging two companies with export law violations)
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Article on the crash of a rocket carrying a commercial payload on February 15, 1996)
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Chinese government report disputing conclusions of U.S. Congressional report)
- Video of launch, impact and view of destruction of town by resulting explosion.
External links
- Long March Rocket Explodes - 長征火箭爆炸 长征火箭爆炸, Raw footage of the disaster
