Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Zenit-3SL
open-in-new
<h2 id="reliability">Reliability</h2> <p>Of thirty-six rockets launched, three failed, with a fourth placing its payload into an incorrect, but recoverable orbit. The first failure occurred during the third flight, on 12 March 2000, when a software error resulted in the premature cutoff of the second stage, leaving the ICO F-1 satellite unable to reach orbit.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>On 29 June 2004, during the launch of <a href="/facts/Apstar_5/wdYP57r8">Apstar 5</a>, the upper stage shut down 54 seconds early due to a wiring fault,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> leaving the satellite in a lower than planned orbit. The spacecraft raised itself to the correct orbit by means of its onboard manoeuvring engines, at the expense of fuel intended for stationkeeping once in the correct <a href="/facts/Orbit/nD2TPySG">orbit</a>. </p><p>On 30 January 2007, a Zenit-3SL exploded on the launch pad after an engine failure caused by debris in the <a href="/facts/Turbopump/D6L2o2Yk">turbopump</a>. The payload on that flight was the <a href="/facts/NSS-8/mTyRlqU1">NSS-8</a> <a href="/facts/Communications_satellite/y5RXPMDT">communications satellite</a> for <a href="/facts/SES_New_Skies/nR8P6DJy">SES New Skies</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> This caused a considerable amount of downtime whilst damage to the launch platform was repaired. </p><p>On 1 February 2013, during the launch of Intelsat-27, a Zenit-3SL launch vehicle suffered a premature engine shutdown, as the rocket strayed from its lift-off trajectory, plunging into the Pacific Ocean shortly after launch.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Spaceflight portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_software_bugs/AFoEuvCo">List of software bugs</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Wade, Mark. "Zenit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on August 28, 2003. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030828154920/http://astronautix.com/lvs/zenit.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20030828154920/http://astronautix.com/lvs/zenit.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"The Rocket - Zenit-3SL". Sea Launch. Archived from the original on 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090404002737/http://www.sea-launch.com/sllaunch_vehicle.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090404002737/http://www.sea-launch.com/sllaunch_vehicle.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Wade, Mark. "Zenit". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on August 28, 2003. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030828154920/http://astronautix.com/lvs/zenit.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20030828154920/http://astronautix.com/lvs/zenit.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Zenit 3SL". Orbital Report News Agency. Archived from the original on 2006-10-29. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061029193722/http://www.orbireport.com/Launchers/Zenit_3SL/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20061029193722/http://www.orbireport.com/Launchers/Zenit_3SL/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Zenit-3SL". Launch Vehicles. National Space Agency of Ukraine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012634/http://www.nkau.gov.ua/nsau/catalogNEW.nsf/0/EFB7A4C2121BE0F6C2256E8B0044EBA8?OpenDocument&Lang=E" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012634/http://www.nkau.gov.ua/nsau/catalogNEW.nsf/0/EFB7A4C2121BE0F6C2256E8B0044EBA8?OpenDocument&Lang=E</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Kyle, Ed (2006-10-30). "2000 Launch Stats". Space Launch Report. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2000.html" target="_blank">http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2000.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Kyle, Ed (2006-10-30). "2004 Launch Stats". Space Launch Report. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2004.html" target="_blank">http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2004.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Kyle, Ed (2007-12-26). "2007 Launch Stats". Space Launch Report. Retrieved 2009-04-14. <a href="http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2007.html" target="_blank">http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2007.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Rhian, Jason (February 5, 2013). "Failure to Sea Launch: Zenit 3SL Racks Up Another Loss – UPDATE". americaspace.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023. <a href="https://www.americaspace.com/2013/02/05/failure-to-sea-launch-zenit-3sl-racks-up-another-loss/" target="_blank">https://www.americaspace.com/2013/02/05/failure-to-sea-launch-zenit-3sl-racks-up-another-loss/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>