KYIV. Oct 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Pivdenmash (Dnipro) has welcomed a possibility of resuming production of the Zenit-3SL launch vehicle for Sea Launch project announced by the new owner of the platform – Russia’s S7 Group.
The enterprise said in a statement on Friday that after the recent signing of a contract between S7 Group and Sea Launch S.A. it was declared the intention of the new owner to bring the complex from the mothball state and begin the launching activity at the end of 2018.
“All the property of the Sea Launch complex, namely the ship Sea Launch Commander, the Odyssey platform on which the equipment of the rocket segment is installed, and ground equipment in the base port Long Beach (the United States) is adapted for storing, transporting, pre-launch servicing and for the launches of the Zenit-3SL launch vehicle. This launch vehicle is produced at Pivdenmash. Pivdenmash welcomes the opportunity to resume the Sea Launch project as part of international cooperation for the peaceful exploration of outer space,” the press service said.
The successful functioning of the Sea Launch project will help to satisfy the increasing needs of the launch services market and it meets the interests of the majority of market players. Also, it will ensure a fair settlement of disputes between the founders of the Sea Launch project in court, the Ukrainian partner of the project said.
The press service said that the Sea Launch project is an important component of the Ukrainian space industry development strategy. The participation in international commercial projects will ensure the development of the Ukrainian space mechanical engineering thanks to own activities, without direct government funding that is impossible in the current circumstances, the enterprise said.
“Taking into account the duration of the production cycle for LV Zenit, the first products may be dispatched in the second half of 2017 if the funding begins in October 2016. The existing facilities of Pivdenmash allow producing from four to six missile carriers per year,” the enterprise said.
