KYIV. Sept 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine is working out plans to establish the Cyclone 4 launch vehicle complex being built jointly with Brazil at Alcantara space center in North America.
SpaceRef portal has reported that Ukraine’s Pivdenne Design Bureau (Dnipro) has been authorized by the State Space Agency of Ukraine to proceed with a new international launch complex and operations in North America based on the existing Cyclone 4 rocket.
The search has begun for business and investment partners to develop the launch infrastructure and conduct sales, marketing, and mission management. On site assessments have already been conducted in Canada and the United States for possible launch complex locations.
According to the bureau’s assessments, the all Ukrainian vehicle will offer highly competitive pricing in this launch class along with reliable launch services, and eliminate the need for US customers to seek waivers for the use of other launch service providers. Operating from North America will provide operational convenience with negligible export control issues for customers, SpaceRef reported.
The Cyclone family of vehicles have launched successfully 221 times.
Cyclone 4 launch service target pricing will be $45 million (all inclusive) for 3,700 kg payloads to sun synchronous orbit.
“The Cyclone 4 launch vehicle design is complete and the first flight vehicle manufacturing is nearly complete and will be ready for launch shortly. It’s estimated that with sufficient and timely funding the launch site construction will take 2.5 years since the ground systems are also designed and partially manufactured,” SpaceRef reported.
In 2003, Ukraine and Brazil signed a long-term cooperation agreement to build the Cyclone-4 launch vehicle to deliver spacecraft to geostationary transfer and low and medium Earth orbit from the Alcantara Launch Center.
In summer 2015, the agreement was denounced by Brazil. The decision took effect in summer 2016.
