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On April 17, 2007 at 10 hours 46 minuets Moscow time (06 hours 46 minutes UTC), a converted RS-20 (SS-18) ICBM (commercially known as Dnepr) was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Shortly thereafter the rocket successfully deployed 14 satellites into a 640 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
The payloads for this launch mission were EgyptSat-1 of the Arab Republic of Egypt, SaudiSat-3 and five SaudiComsats of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and seven CubeSat nanosatellites developed by the universities of the United States of America and Columbia.
Being the 8th commercial launch for Dnepr, this is also its first 'return to flight' mission since the failure encountered on July 27, 2006 during liftoff from Baikonur.
In parallel with the successful completion of its first launch campaign in 2007, ISC Kosmotras continues preparations for the next two Dnepr launch missions scheduled to fly from Baikonur and Yasny launch bases.
ISC Kosmotras has been involved in putting together commercial payload launches utilizing the Dnepr Space Launch System based on RS-20 (SS-18) ICBM technologies since 1997. With the latest successful mission, Dnepr has lofted into space 37 satellites belonging to customers from Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UK and USA. As a managing company, ISC Kosmotras possesses a good combination of multi-year expertise in development and operation of launcher systems and practical experience in implementation of various international projects.
17.04.2007 |
