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Foreign Sat Launches Keeps Russian Rocketeers Busy
Washington (Interfax) August 25, 2000 - Five foreign satellites will be launched from Baikonur cosmodrome at 2 p.m. Moscow time on Friday with a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile SS-18. The press service of the Strategic Rocket Force told Interfax that the missile serving as a prototype of the new Dnepr class of light booster-rockets will carry small space probes belonging to Italy, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. This will be a space debut for Saudi Arabia and Malaysia these being the first satellites made in those countries to be taken to space. Two satellites will be launched for Italy. The 56-kilo Megsat is designed for environmental monitoring and data transmission for commercial purposes. The 10-kilo Unisat will perform educational and scientific tasks of the university of Rome. Two 10-kilo satellites - Saudisat-1A and Saudisat-1B - of the Saudi Arabian Space Research Institute were also designed for educational and scientific purposes. The fifth satellite, 52-kilo Tingsat, is owned by a Malaysian government company and will be used for long-distance probing of the earth. The press service said that the it will be the third launching of the SS-18 rocket under the Dnepr program in three years. In addition to its commercial purpose it will a test launch for the missile itself aimed at prolonging its service life in the Armed Forces by a year. The press service stressed that testing is the main task for the combat use of the system. The Russian government passed a resolution in October 1998 on developing the Dnepr space system on the basis of converting the SS-18 ballistic missile. The system consists of the missile, silo and launching pad of the so-called mortar type. The launching system as well as the missile were somewhat altered for launching satellites. The press service said that the SS-18 will be given the name Dnepr after the completion of the required series of testing and certification.
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Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
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