In an Oct. 3 statement posted on social media, Roscosmos said that the most likely cause of the crash was “abnormal functioning” of the onboard computer. Specifically, the computer failed to turn on an accelerometer in a device called BIUS-L, which measures the angular velocity of the spacecraft.
As a result, “the on-board control complex received zero signals from the accelerometers of the BIUS-L device,” according to a translation of the Roscosmos statement. “This did not allow, when issuing a corrective pulse, to record the moment the required speed was reached and to timely turn off the spacecraft propulsion system, as a result of which its shutdown occurred according to a temporary setting.”
Russia deserves all the failure and bad karma they reap for the crap going on in Ukraine. It's going to sound petty compared to the loss of life and the intrusion into sovereignty, but bombing the AN-225 was just reprehensible. That was a one of a kind aircraft that served the oversized air cargo needs of the entire world. While technically not irreplaceable, it's pretty darn close to it. I doubt the parts set aside for a second AN-225 ever take to the sky, and we'll have to wait for a next generation aircraft to provide comparable capabilities.
Who knows? Maybe the Starship will be the replacement solution instead of an aircraft.
I'd kind of like to see one of the new dirigible airship designs come to fruition for large cargo delivery as well. Especially for remote cargo, and cargo too wide to transport over most land routes.
