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Russia's Proton-M to orbit another UAE telecoms satellite

RIA Novosti

26/02/2008 19:40 MOSCOW, February 26 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian-American joint venture has signed a contract to orbit another satellite for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by a Russian Proton-M carrier rocket, the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center said on Tuesday.

Proton-M launch services are provided by Russian-American joint venture International Launch Services (ILS), owned by the Khrunichev Center, RSC Energia, and U.S. firm Space Transport Inc. The company received $1.5 billion in new launch orders in 2007.

The contract to orbit a telecommunications satellite was signed in Washington by ILS and the S2M company from Dubai, UAE.

Last month the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center signed a contract to launch the UAE's Yahsat satellite.

The contract was also signed by ILS, France's Thales Alenia Space, and the UAE's Al Yah Satellite Communications Co.

In August 2007, Thales Alenia Space and Astrium, an aerospace subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, signed a contract to build Yahsat, a communications system that will involve the creation of two multipurpose satellites on the basis of the Astrium Eurostar 3000 platform.