As Eurockot aims for its first operational commercial launch in November, the Russian-German company is already planning for launches into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
It has signed a contract with Intersputnik to launch two communications satellites, M1 and M2, in 2003 and hopes to capitalise on the demand for low-cost geostationary orbit (GEO) comsats.Russian company Khrunichev and Eurockot have been assessing the market for launching these light class GEO communications satellites for some time. As a result, Khrunichev now plans to produce a lightened version of its Breeze KM third stage of the Eurockot, called Breeze-KS, and has designed a spacecraft bus called Yacht Dialog capable of carrying 10 transponders and equipped with xenon plasma thrusters to enable it to move from GTO to GEO. The M satellites are based on this bus.
An additional boost module on the satellite could increase the number of transponders that could be carried.
Eurockot is part of the launch services division of EADS, which holds a 51% stake, while Khrunichev holds 49%. Eurockot also offers opportunities for piggyback microsatellites flying on operational launches of larger payloads. The first flight will involve a Russian satellite and will be able to fly up to seven mini-satellites.
Source: Flight Daily News