Eleven rockets produced in Ukraine are scheduled to be launched in 2013, which is almost four times as many as in 2012, Interfax-Ukraine has learned at the State Space Agency of Ukraine.
According to the agency, all planned launches will be carried out in the framework of international cooperation. The main partners will be Russia, the United States and Canada.
In particular, three launches have been planned for 2013 in the framework of the Ukrainian-Russian Dnepr program. A Dnepr rocket is scheduled to blast off from the Yasny launch pad in Russia, putting 16 small satellites into orbit in the interests of foreign customers.
In addition, three launches are planned in the frames of the Land Launch project from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. A Zenit-3SLB rocket is scheduled to put two foreign satellites and the first Ukrainian communications satellite, the Lybid, into orbit.
Another three launches in 2013 will be made from a launch site at the Wallops Flight Facility (Virginia, the United States). With the participation of Ukraine under a contract with the U.S. Orbital Science Corp, an Antares light-class launch vehicle for the delivery of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) will perform a demonstration flight, a test flight of the cargo module, and deliver a payload to the ISS.
Another launch is planned as part of cooperation with Russia. This will be a combat training launch of an RS-20V intercontinental ballistic missile.
A launch of a Zenit-3SL rocket with a U.S. Intelsat-27 satellite from a launch pad in the Pacific Ocean was scheduled for February 1, 2013, as part of the Sea Launch international program. However, the launch vehicle crashed into the ocean. The causes of the failure are being studied. The launch was insured by international companies.
According to the State Space Agency, three rockets made in Ukraine were launched in 2012. All of the launches were made from a floating platform as part of the Sea Launch project. The Zenit-3SL rocket successfully put into orbit two satellites in the interests of the American Intelsat and one satellite for the European Eutelsat.
