The Odissei floating platform remains operational after the failed rocket carrier launch, Russia's space industry chief Vitaly Lopota has told reporters.

On Friday, the Zenit-3SL rocket carrying an Intelsat-27 satellite fell back into the Pacific after the engine of its first stage suddenly failed.

"The platform sustained no damage. The equipment remains operational," Mr. Lopota said.

Zenit space rocket launch fails

The launch of a Zenit space rocket as part of the Sea Launch program has ended in failure, a Russian space rocket industry source told Interfax-AVN.

The Mission Control Center is forming a commission to investigate the accident, a source in the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation said.

Zenit launch vehicle crashes into ocean - source

Russia's Zenit launch vehicle, which took off from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean as part of the Sea Launch program, fell back into the ocean, a space rocket industry source told Interfax.

"The first stage of the rocket malfunctioned. The rocket took an incorrect trajectory immediately after takeoff," he said.

Source: Voice of Russia