• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

U.S., Russia Sign Pact To Spur Commercial Satellite Launches

21 March 2006

Agreement helps Russian participation in "Sea Launch" project

The United States and the Russian Federation have signed an agreement intended to facilitate Russian participation in a commercial satellite-launching venture known as "Sea Launch."

The agreement, signed March 21 in Washington, provides for technology safeguards on activities associated with Sea Launch, a Boeing Company-led consortium with firms from Russia, Ukraine and Norway that provides commercial launch services for U.S. and foreign satellite payloads from a launch platform in international waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The State Department said Sea Launch operational launches began in 1999, with 19 launches completed to date.

For more information on U.S. policies, see Russia.

Following is a State Department media note on the pact:

(begin text)

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
March 21, 2006

MEDIA NOTE

LAUNCH TSA SIGNED ON MARCH 21, 2006

On March 21, 2006 in Washington, D.C., the United States and the Russian Federation signed an Agreement on Technology Safeguards Associated with the Activities under the "Sea Launch" Project.  Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph signed for the U.S.; Ambassador Yuriy Ushakov signed on behalf of the Russian Federation.

The Sea Launch Project is a Boeing-led consortium with companies from Russia, Ukraine and Norway that provides commercial launch services for U.S. and foreign satellite payloads from a launch platform in international waters of the Pacific Ocean.  Operational launches began in 1999.  To date, Sea Launch has completed 19 launches.

Conclusion of this agreement highlights our ongoing bilateral partnership in this successful commercial endeavor and will facilitate Russian participation.  It also increases the potential for enhanced Russian participation and cooperation more generally in the sphere of commercial use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

This agreement benefits all Sea Launch partners and will increase services available to clients.  As such, it underlines the positive outcome of international technical and programmatic collaboration.

This agreement also attests to what Russia and the United States are capable of accomplishing together.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)