MOSCOW/BREMEN, Germany---Eurockot Launch Services, Germany, and its Russian parent company Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, today announced the first success of their joint marketing activities in Russia.
This follows the signing of a contract between the Intersputnik company and Khrunichev for the manufacture and in-orbit delivery of the two Intersputnik-M1 and -M2 communication satellites to be launched into geostationary orbits in 2003 using the Rockot launch vehicle.
The satellites will be based on the newly developed Khrunichev Yacht Spacecraft Bus. Both Eurockot and Khrunichev expect a growing demand for launches of GEO spacecraft using Rockot. These two launches will be conducted from the Rockot facilities at Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
Astrium, the German parent company of Eurockot, had invested approx. US$ 35M into the launch site facilities of Plesetsk which underwent an extensive modernisation and extension to cater for commercial customers. The successful Commercial Demonstration Flight in May 2000 and subsequent commissioning of all facilities and the launch vehicle itsself, proves the ability of this German-Russian partnership to offer competitive and reliable launch services to LEO and GEO-satellite operators.
Eurockot markets the Rockot launch system to commercial and governmental LEO satellite operators. Its manifest so far comprises 12 launches for customers in the US and in Europe. Its next launch - the joint NASA/DLR GRACE mission - is scheduled for autumn 2001 from Plesetsk.
Eurockot Launch Services GmbH is a joint venture of Astrium GmbH, Germany and Khrunichev. Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is Russia's leading supplier of launch vehicles and services, spacecraft and space components and holds a 49 % share in Eurockot.
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Rockot Launches Two Intersputnik Satellites In 2003
