Space agency probe lacks data to say what caused loss of Russian cargo vehicle

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. The Russian space agency’s panel of inquiry probing into the loss of the Progress M-27M cargo vehicle late last month lacks data to say exactly what caused the emergency, a senior source in the space rocket industry familiar with investigation has told TASS.

"The telemetry data are not enough to name the cause of the incident with certainty. The commission’s members have been dispatched to various manufacturers involved in order to scrutinize space rocket technologies from the same batch and to simulate the emergency. This is essential, as there still is no clarity regarding the real cause of the mishap," the source said.

According to the official the probe, originally scheduled to be over May 14, has been prolonged till May 22 and may continue after that.

"True, some findings may be presented by May 22. In the meantime specialists will keep working at individual enterprises after that date," the source said.