To new space market via earth’s equator

A.Companies whose business is launching commercial satellites began contemplating, as early as ten years ago, how to transfer the launch site closer to the equator. Scientists estimate that a Proton rocket launched from the Baikonur space site is capable of putting a 2,4 ton load into orbit, while an equator launch could increase the payload to four tons, with a considerable saving in fuel.

Translator's Decisions

1)... whose business is launching commercial satellites

2)... capable of putting a 2,4 ton load into orbit ...

3)... with a considerable saving in fuel ...

B. Closest to the real equator launch of a carrier rocket is the international com­pany Sea Launch created in the spring of 1995 by the American Boeing corporation, the Russian Research and Production Association Energia, the Ukrainian Design Office Yuzhnoye, and the Norwegian Kav-erner Group. According to the President of the Sea Launch Mr.Ronald Olson, the company believes that it will deliver satellites weighing up to six tons into high-altitude orbit and equipment of up to 16 tons into low-orbit using a three-stage Zenit rocket.

Translator's Decisions

1)... closest to the real equator launch ...

2).. carrier rocket ...

C. «We bought a marine oil-drilling platform 133 metres long and will make it into a floating start complex within one year», said Mr.Olson.

Sea Launch will also build at its Glas­gow wharf a cargo vessel with a 34,000 ton displacement on which to assemble a carrier rocket and which will accommodate a control complex for its launch.

Translator’s Decision

1)... a marine oil-drilling platform ...

2)... will make it into a floating start complex ...

D. Mr.Olson said that the first to orbit with the aid of the Zenit rocket would be an American satellite of the Hughes Space Communication company: last December Sea Launch and Hughes signed an agreement to launch ten communications satel­lites and agreed to sign contracts for a further ten provided the current series is a success.

Translator s Decisions

1)... the first to orbit ...

2)... signed an agreement to launch ...

3)... for a further ten (launches) ...

4)... provided the current series is a success ...

E. Mr.Olson went on to say that the finance of the project were difficult to agree upon since the Russian and Ukrainian partners had encountered complications. As a result an agreement was reached which took account of the fact that neither Energia nor Yuzhnoye would be investing their own money. The Ukrainian company has committed itself to providing the first and second stages of Zenit whilst Energiya is responsible for the third stage of the carrier rocket.

The Russians are counting on the fact that the programs will be supported by the state and Energiya will not meet with any particular obstacles. «Such support will not be in money but in licenses and permits for the export of equipment»,—said Alexander Derechin, head of international space programs at Energiya. — «We hope that no one in Russia will hinder our participation in this project».

Translator's Decisions

1)... the finances of the project ...

2)... complications ...

3)... Energiya will not meet with any particular obstacles.

F. In Mr.Derechin's words the Russian Commercial banks are not as yet participating but Sea Launch has already applied to the World Bank with a request to finance the political risk of the project. Credits will be repaid by incomes from the launchings.

The authors of the project claim that the sea platform could be used to launch not only satellites but also space freighters. Mr.Derechin said that should any difficulties be encountered in launching such vehicles from the Baikonur space site, it could easily be done from the Pacific pint-form. The Sea Launch representatives are so far talking cautiously on the launch of manned satellites, although they do not rule out such a possibility.

Translator's Decisions

1)... applied to the World Bank ...

2)... it could easily be done from the Pacific platform ...

3)... the Sea Launch representatives are so far talking cautiously on the launch of manned satellites ...

G. The participants of the project are keeping its cost a secret but the Russian press has disclosed a figure of 600 million dollars. However, Mr.Olson, considers this sum to be «somewhat overestimated».

The partners in Sea Launch agreed to share any further profit in strict accordance with their initial investments in the project. Boeing will receive 20% of the project with the same figure being divided between Energiya and Yuzhnoye, while 20% will go to the Kaverner Group.

Translator's Decisions

1)... are keeping its cost a secret ...

2)... the Russian press has disclosed a figure of 600 million dollars ...

3)... 20% will go to the Kaverner group ...

H. The project envisages that the Zenit rocket will be launched from shallow water near scarcely inhabited islands way from sea and air routes.

Incidentally, the company's spokesmen stressed that the Zenit is the world's most ecologically friendly rocket carrier since it is launched using kerosene (paraffin) and oxygen. «Environmental pollution is considerably lower with such components than in launching the Proton rocket, said Mr.Derechin.

Energiya attaches great importance to its participation in the project and is now hastening to keep ahead of its many serious competitors in Russia. The Research and Technological Centre «Complex» has plans to launch its five-stage rocket «Start», from the launch site at Woomera, in the south of Australia. The «Start», which weighs 60 tons, has one massive advantage over other rocket carriers in that it does not need a conventional launch site. In the words of the company's spokesman Alexander Sukhodolsky, the launch can be done with a compact launch unit. The last time when the «Start» was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome was in March 1995, but it failed to put the Israeli satellite into orbit; for various unexplained reasons, the rocket deviated from the prescribed trajectory and fell to earth in Russia's Arctic regions.

Translator's Decisions

1)…the project envisages ...

2)... away from sea and air routes ...

3)... the world's most ecologically friendly rocket carrier ...

4)… is now hastening to keep ahead of its many serious competitors ...

5)... one massive advantage over other rocket carriers

6)... the rocket deviated from the prescribed trajectory

I. In January 1996 the «Complex» centre and the Australian engineering company ASC signed an agreement to build a launch site for a Russian rocket. Walter Dooley, the general manager of ASC, said that «Start» would be able to put satellites of 600 kg into low-altitude orbits. The two partners hope that it would take no longer than 18 months to build a suitable launch site. However, the Japanese Space Agency has its eyes on the Woomera range too.

On the other hand the Russian space agency «Glavkosmos» is also holding talks with an Australian company on using the port of Darwin to launch Russian rockets. But «Glavkosmos» is keeping the project details highly secret.

Translator's Decisions

1)... satellites of 600 kg ...

2)... it would take no longer than 18 months to build a suitable launch site ...

3)... (the Japanese Space Agency) has its eye on ...

4)... is keeping the project details highly secret ...

J. The financial calculations of the Russian Space Agency do not include income from the Sea Launch project, although the project authors assert that the launch market is on the rise and promises high profit.

According to Mr.Olson the construction of a vessel for assembling a carrier rocket is to be completed in mid-1997 and the first launch from the floating start complex is scheduled for July 1998.

Translator's Decisions

1)... financial calculations ...

2)... the launch market is on the rise and promises high profit ...

3) ... is to be completed ...

K. Meanwhile Yuri Koptev, director of the Russian Space Agency says that Russia is planning to earn 1,6 billion dollars on the international market for its space services by the year 2000. Experts estimate this market at 5 billion dollars. Most of the planned profit will be earned by the «Khrunichev—Energiya—Lockheed» JV, which already has contracts for one billion dollars. The first of its satellites under the auspices of JV activities will be launched this year. Another 500 million dollars is anticipated from flights by foreign astronauts to the «Mir» space station and a further 100 million dollars from the use by foreign companies of the communications channels of the Russian «Gorizont» and «Express» satellites.

Translator’s Decisions

1)… under the auspices of …

2)… another 500 million dollars is anticipated …

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