Orbital to Drop Soviet-Era Engines Used on Failed Rocket

This is not the first time the Russian-made AJ26 engines have caused problems, Marco Caceres, an analyst at Teal Group Corp., wrote in an Oct. 31 note. In 2007, the Sea Launch Zenit 3SL exploded because of an engine clogging and SpaceX failed to launch its Falcon 1 in March 2006 due to engine failure, he wrote.

If the engine proves to have been at fault in the latest explosion, it would be easier for Orbital to replace them rather than to attempt a repair, Caceres said in a phone interview today. "Their confidence in the engine was never high," he said.