Russian experts study possible falling of Soyuz-2 stage in US

Moscow, Jan 5 (UNI) Specialists from the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos are thoroughly studying reports on the possible falling of parts of the third stage of the Russian Soyuz-2 rocket, Roskosmos spokesperson Igor Panarin said today.

The rocket was launched from the Baikonur space centre on December 27, 2006, in the US territory.

Mr Panarin told Interfax news agency that an expert conclusion on this issue would be made public today.

The US media had yesterday reported that an object that had landed in Wyoming was likely to be a piece of the third stage of a Soyuz-2 rocket.

Mr Panarin said the object that fell in the US could not be debris of the Fregat upper stage, which was used to place a French space telescope COROT into orbit on December 27.

''Specialists from the Lavochkin research and production centre, which manufactured the Fregat upper stage, insisted that the place where the Fregat sank is known for sure. It sank in the Pacific Ocean on December 27,'' the spokesperson added.

The COROT was launched onboard a Soyuz-2 rocket from Baikonur on December 27. The first and second stages fell in a pre-calculated area in Russia's Tyumen region. The third stage usually burns up during a re-entry.

UNI