Russia blames radiation for space probe failure

"Popovkin said that some microchips used on the craft were imported and possibly of inadequate quality to resist radiation. He did not specify where the chips were manufactured."

I'll guess China.

It is sad that the probe failed. The mission would have been extremely valuable to the scientific community.

The post also punctuates the ISS vulnerability with only one launch vehicle available now that the Shuttle was retired. We will have to wait and see if the individuals that sold that idea to the current administration go on to sell bridges as a moonlighting job.

So "Star Wars" really is dead? OK!

Possibly counterfeit parts?

And where do the counterfeit chips come from?

Example from US Defense Industry:

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Suspect-Counterfeit-Fake-Electronics-in-US-Defense-Equipment-07188/

Most known coming from Asia as old electronic devices are scavenged for obsolete chips. Chips can be reclaimed and sold as is at low price, or can be cleaned up and remarked as new for higher price. Reclaimed parts may be sold as JAN tested, although never tested.

From the article:

"62 percent of the microchips used in the probe were "industrial" class, a less-sophisticated level than should be used in space flight. Popovkin said the craft's builder, Moscow-based NPO Lavochkin, should have taken into account the possibility of radiation interfering with the operation and said Lavochkin officials would face punishment for the oversight."

Is this a Russian admission that money-saving managers will buy cheaper parts from the grey market? Or is this an admission that Russian managers will save money by altering requirements in order to allow them to buy cheaper parts? Presumably NPO Lavochkin produced the craft according to some kind of specification. Did the spec require aerospace quality parts, or did it just assume NPO Lavochkin would know what they meant?

My comment was more of a rhetorical question, but...

"Popovkin said the craft's builder, Moscow-based NPO Lavochkin, should have taken into account the possibility of radiation interfering with the operation"

Huh? It should have been specifically spelled out in the system level requirements document! It should also have a corresponding test that links directly back to the requirement.

It is becoming clearer and clearer that the Russians are looking for a scapegoat (or as someone here put it - escape goat) by pointing their fingers at every external source and country for what is a systemic problem on the part of Russia.

And shame on us for making them the sole source for ISS access.