Moscow, May 13 (Interfax-AVN) - The placement of Russia's Spektr-R astrophysical observatory into orbit, initially set for July, could be postponed because its Zenit rocket is needed to launch the U.S. Intelsat 18 telecommunications satellite.
"Roscosmos [the Russian Federal Space Agency] is currently debating how to use the Zenit launch vehicle available to it – either for the launch of the Spektr-R observatory or for the launch of the Intelsat 18 satellite," a space rocket source told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
Recently a shortage of Zenit launch vehicles has created "a real competition" for them, the source said.
Zenit rockets serve to launch satellites as part of Russia’s federal space exploration program, from a platform in the Pacific Ocean as part of the Sea Launch program, as well as from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which Russia leases from Kazakhstan, as part of the Land Launch program.
The source, however, said that a date for launching the observatory was not crucial.
"Its launch can take place either in July, September or October," he said.
But the launch of the Intelsat 18 telecommunications satellite within the timeframe set by the contract is vital for the Intelsat international satellite operator, he said.
"If the Zenit launch vehicle is transferred to the Intelsat 18 program, the satellite could be launched in August or September," the source said.
The satellite’s timely launch is also important for the Sea Launch consortium, which is 95% controlled by the Energia Overseas Limited company, which is a subsidiary of Russia’s Energia corporation, he said.
Intelsat is a strategic customer of the consortium, which conducts satellite launches for the company from a platform in the Pacific Ocean, the source said.
"As far as I know, the Sea Launch consortium announced willingness to carry out the launch of the Intelsat 18 and asked for permission to use a Baikonur launch pad,’ he said.
"The thing is that the Intelsat company is kind of blackmailing Sea Launch, saying that if the question over the launch of the Intelsat 18 satellite from Baikonur is not resolved, the company will decide against launching the Intelsat 19 and subsequent satellites from the platform in the Pacific Ocean," the source said.
