Arabsat 4A

Launch data: Designation  28943 / 06006A Launch date  28 Feb 2006 - 20:10 UT Launch site  B, LC-200/39 Launch vehicle  Proton-M / Briz-M Mission  Communication (C) Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  497 x 14684 km Inclination  51.6° Period  273.8 min

Mission details:

• A Krunichev Proton-M/Briz-M rocket suffered a launch failure on Feb 28, 2006. The Briz-M stage is rumoured to have shut down 27 minutes 31s into a planned 31-minute second burn, according to several sources. This was a very long engine burn, but the AMC-15 launch in 2004 saw a 37.5 minute burn, so it's not a record for Briz-M.
  (second 30-minutes burn of the Briz ended prematurely)
• There are now two objects cataloged in a 505 x 14695 km x 51.5 deg orbit, presumably the Arabsat 4A payload and Briz. Since the failure was before the end of the second burn, the Briz DTB tank will not have separated, and the B object is Briz with the DTB still attached.
• The accidental explosion on Feb 19, 2007 of the Arabsat-4 Briz upper stage 2006-06B, stranded in orbit in 2006 with tonnes of propellant left on board, is thought to have generated hundreds more debris objects, none of which have yet been cataloged.
• After evaluating a lunar fly-by maneuvre to rescue the satellite, Arabsat 4A was commanded to re-enter the Earth atmosphere on Mar 24, 2006 over the pacific.The satellite probably fired its apogee engine around 00:20 UTC to lower its perigee into the atmosphere; according to an MSNBC press report it reentered over the South Pacific at 02:07 UTC.