Ruptured Oxidant Tank Likely Cause of Progress Spacecraft Dec. 1 Accident

A ruptured oxidant tank on the third stage of a carrier rocket most likely caused a recent accident involving a Russian Progress cargo spacecraft, Russia's space corporation Roscosmos said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Progress MS-04 space freighter burned up in the atmosphere and its debris fell in south Siberia's Tuva Republic after a faulty launch on board a Soyuz-U carrier rocket on December 1.

"Investigators have established that the most likely cause of the accident was a rupture of an  oxidant tank on the third stage of the carrier rocket following the destruction of a 11D55 engine…," Roscosmos said in a statement.

The corporation will also unveil the safety plan for the upcoming launch of the Progress MS-05.

The launch has been scheduled for February 21, 2017 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.