YEKATERINBURG, May 19. /TASS/. Workmanship checks will be carried out at all enterprises of Russia’s space rocket industry in the wake of the delayed launch of a space rocket from the Vostochny spaceport on April 27, the head of the state-run corporation Roscosmos, Igor Komarov, has said.
"After the delayed launch all space rocket industry enterprises will be checked. The emphasis will be placed on the quality check departments," he said.
Komarov promised that in the near future there would follow a series of conferences on ways of improving the system of quality checks at space rocket enterprises.
"The Research and Production Association of Automatics (NPO Automatics) has always been the industry’s leader, but even there quality problems have been identified. The fundamental approach is to be changed. This is a comprehensive mistake. The effectiveness of tests must be increased. Certain conclusions will be derived in reforming the system of Roscosmos," he said.
The Soyuz-2.1a rocket was originally scheduled to blast off at 05:01 on April 27 Moscow time. The automatic control system postponed the launch for one day.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees the space rocket industry, the head of the state corporation Roscosmos Igor Komarov and general director of the cable’s manufacturer Leonid Shalimov were disciplined. Shalimov later stepped down of his own accord.