UKRAINIAN cosmonauts Leonid Kadenyuk and Vyacheslav Meytrachan have been selected to train in October 1997 for a US Space Shuttle mission, which will carry several national experiments. One - probably Kadenyuk, a former Russian Buran space shuttle trained mission specialist - will make the 16-day mission.
The World Bank, will guarantee a maximum $90 million loan to Ukraine, to invest in the $600 million international Sea Launch commercial-launch-service project, which will use Ukrainian Zenit boosters launched from an offshore platform, on the equator in the Pacific Ocean.
Boeing will provide 40% funding, Norway's Kvaerner (the launch-platform builder) 20% and Russia's Energia will supply 25%. Ukraine's Yuzhmash and Yuznoye companies will provide the remaining 15% investment.
Source: Flight International
