You're reading: Ukraine to participate in at least three international spacecraft launches by late 2017

Ukraine as a partner in international cooperation in the space sector by the end of 2017 would take part in at least three spacecraft launches using launch vehicles designed and made with the participation of Ukraine.

According to the U.S. Spaceflightnow publication, two of the launches are scheduled for November.

At 04:42:30 a.m. Kyiv time (01:42:30 GMT) on Nov. 8 an Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV11, will launch with the MN35-13 Earth observation satellite for the government of Morocco from the Kourou launch site, French Guiana (South America). RD-84304 cruise engine of the fourth stage of the Vega rocket is designed by Pivdennne (Yuzhnoye) Design Bureau and made at Pivdenmash (Yuzhmash) state-owned enterprise (both based in Dnipro).

Today, a total of 10 launches were made under the Vega program, including two in 2017.

At 4:02 p.m. Kyiv time (13:02 GMT) on Nov. 10 an Orbital ATK Antares rocket will launch the ninth Cygnus cargo freighter on the eighth operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station from the launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia, the United States. The main structure of the first phase of the Antares rocket was designed by Pivdennne Design Bureau and made by Pivdenmash.

The rocket will fly in the new configuration for the second time – with new cruise engines of the first phase (Russia’s RD-181 engines installed to the rocket after an accident in October 2014 to replace AJ26. By the end of 2018 it is planned to make four more launches of the Antares rocket and from 2019 through 2024 – six more.

A Ukrainian Zenit rocket with a Russian Fregat upper stage will launch the AngoSat communications satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on Dec. 7. The Zenit rocket is designed by Pivdennne Design Bureau and built by Pivdenmash.

According to the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU), by the end of 2017 it is planned to put the first Ukrainian telecom satellite Lybid into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome.