Proton rocket to resume flights in September

Russia's Proton rocket is scheduled to resume launches in September after a fiery mishap of the expendable booster destroyed three Russian navigation satellites at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in July, the Proton's U.S.-based commercial sales firm announced Wednesday.

The Proton rocket, a workhorse for commercial communications satellites and heavy Russian government payloads, has been grounded since the July 2 accident.

Russian investigators found three yaw angular rate sensors, which provide information on the rocket's orientation, were installed upside down when the Proton launcher was assembled.

The improperly installed sensors fed bad information to the Proton's computers, and the 19-story booster almost immediately flew off course moments after liftoff July 2. It gyrated wildly as it ascended from the launch pad, then tilted over and broke apart before exploding in a fireball upon impact with the ground at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Three Russian Glonass M navigation satellites were destroyed in the mishap. No injuries were reported.

Russia's Interfax news agency said the mission was insured for about $200 million.

READ MORE HERE (EXTERNAL LINK)