Reston, Virginia – Officials from International Launch Services (ILS) and Dauria Aerospace (Dauria), of Moscow, Russia, have signed an agreement to collaborate on opportunities to launch spacecraft using an ILS Proton or Angara launch vehicle beginning in 2017.
The agreement, signed by ILS President Phil Slack and Dauria CEO Sergey Ivanov, states that both companies will mutually cooperate on identifying spacecraft that can be dual launched in a stacked configuration – with the lower Dauria spacecraft supporting the upper spacecraft – on an ILS Proton or Angara launch vehicle. With this agreement, ILS would identify spacecraft that could be paired with Dauria’s small geostationary communication satellites, called ATOM spacecraft, and together, the companies would assess the technical feasibility. The ATOM spacecraft weigh between 1,050kg and1,500kg and provide satellite TV, telephone, and broadband communications.
ILS and Dauria officials will meet on a regular basis to evaluate the commercial environment and any mutually beneficial joint initiatives that would serve the global satellite industry.
Slack said, “This agreement establishes an excellent foundation for our partnership with Dauria for dual launched spacecraft. This is an innovative approach that will benefit satellite operators who want a cost effective solution to launch their smaller spacecraft.”
“This agreement with ILS will allow Dauria satellites to be launched in a timely manner with competitive pricing for the companion spacecraft. This also represents another positive example of U.S.-Russian cooperation in space activities. We look forward to further collaborating with ILS and providing outstanding access to space,” Ivanov said.
ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton vehicle to commercial satellite operators worldwide and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, Virginia.
Khrunichev holds the majority interest in ILS, manufactures the Proton system, and is developing the Angara launch system. The Proton launches from facilities at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and has a heritage of over 400 missions since 1965.
Dauria Aerospace is the first Russian private space company, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Moscow. The company is focused on a fast growing segment of the satellite manufacturing market – SmallSats.
Source: International Launch Services