Kosmotras, a joint venture between ten Ukrainian and Russian companies, has been set up to market the former Dnepr SS-18 ballistic missile for commercial launches into low Earth orbit.
The firms, led by the Russian and Ukrainian space agencies, plan to convert 150 SS-18s into the Dnepr booster and a first launch is possible in 1998. US company Teledesic is considering launches for its 204-840 satellite constellation.
Russia, meanwhile, launched its first commercial banking satellite into geostationary orbit on a Proton booster from Baikonur on 13 November. The 2,600kg Kupon, based on Russia's Potok tracking and data-relay satellite, is the first in a network of satellites for the inter-bank Bankir communications system planned by the Central Bank.
Also on 13 November, Arianespace's Ariane 44L/V102 carried the Swedish, Aerospatiale-built Sirius 2 and Indonesian, Orbital Sciences-built Cakrawarta 1 communications satellites into geostationary-transfer orbit.
The V103 is scheduled to launch the Japanese JCSAT 5 and a German science satellite, the Equator S, into orbit in December. Arianespace has 41 satellites on order to be launched.
On 18 November, Russia launched the Resurs F-1M remote-sensing satellite on a Soyuz booster from Plesetsk.
A Boeing Delta 2 launched the nineteenth and final Navstar GPS Block 2A satellite from Cape Canaveral on 5 November, on the first all-Boeing launch. The Boeing-built GPS 2As are being replaced by Lockheed Martin-built GPS Block 2Rs, which are also launched on Delta 2s. Boeing will build the next, Block 2F, series.
Another Delta 2 was launched from Vandenberg AFB, California, on 8 November, carrying five more Iridium satellites for Motorola. This was the fifth Delta 2 launch of the satellites, 39 of which have been launched out of a planned 66 operational-constellation. Two craft have failed in orbit, however.
Source: Flight International
