Russian operator RSCC is looking to satellite manufacturers to provide a turnkey solution for its next orders as it seeks to draw a line under a string of federal launch failures.
The move could see it use a rocket other than the country’s Proton…
Russian operator RSCC is looking to satellite manufacturers to provide a turnkey solution for its next orders as it seeks to draw a line under a string of federal launch failures.
The move could see it use a rocket other than the country’s Proton workhorse, which in May caused the operator to lose its third satellite from a launch anomaly in three years.
Speaking at the World Satellite Business Week conference in Paris this week, RSCC deputy director general Denis Pivnyuk said: “We’re not looking specifically at other commercially available launchers. We’d rather change our approach to procuring a satellite.
“Before, we have had a separate contract for satellite delivery and launch vehicle provided by the federal space partner. Now we have turned to a full cycle procurement contract, which will require the manufacturer to not only provide the satellite but also the insurance and the launch with whatever the best commercially available launcher will be at the time.
“We want to be more flexible in terms of getting a launch service.”
Return to flight due at the end of the month
The federal failure review oversight board (FROB) into the May launch failure is due to conclude its investigation imminently, with a return to flight of the Proton currently expected to take place on 28 September.
This first mission would see the launch of the Russian Luch relay satellite, with RSCC’s Express-AM6 next in line on the launch manifest. That mission is scheduled to take place by the end of October.
A further two, possibly three, launches are being lined up for the remainder of the year. Gazprom Space Systems’ Yamal-401 satellite is slated for an end of November launch, while SES’ Astra-2G is likely to be lofted by mid-December. The other mission, the ILS launch of Inmarsat’s I-5 F2, will likely take place at the end of the year or the beginning of 2015.
