ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A Russian defense satellite sent into the wrong orbit can't perform its mission, said First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin.
Popovkin made the comments Sunday at the IDEX 2011 arms show in Abu Dhabi, ITAR-Tass reported.
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The Geo-IK-2 defense satellite was launched from the Plesetsk spaceport earlier this month by a Rokot rocket.
Popovkin said the commission investigating the failed launch hasn't completed its work, but preliminary data indicates the booster unit and possibly the control system were responsible for its failure to go into the proper orbit.
Popovkin said the satellite is "incapable of fulfilling its mission because its orbit is wrong."
