Russia’s S7 Group signs deal to buy Sea Launch maritime platform

MOSCOW, Sep 28 (PRIME) -- Russian airline S7 Group, which comprises Siberia Airlines and Globus, has signed a deal with Sea Launch group of companies to buy facilities of the Sea Launch spacecraft launch service, including the maritime platform Odyssey, the Russian company said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Under the deal, S7 Group will buy the Sea Launch Commander ship, the Ocean Odyssey platform with installed rocket ship equipment, on-land facilities in the U.S. port of Long Beach and the Sea Launch trademark. The deal will be closed in six months and after approval of the U.S. authorities, the group said.

The group plans to launch the facility’s operation in 18 months after the deal is approved, or in late 2018. “We hope that we will be able to make up to 70 launches during 15 years…We will not sell promises, we will only sell launches on prepared launch vehicles. Rockets first, and only then buyers,” the company said quoting core owner Vladislav Filyov.

S7 Group also signed a cooperation agreement with Russia’s Rocket and Space Corporation Energia for works to restart the Sea Launch’s operation. The contract also envisages creation of transport infrastructure in space besides the Sea Launch cooperation, the company said.

The Sea Launch facility was created in 1995 for commercial space launches from the Pacific Ocean. After reorganization in 2010, the company was 95% owned by Energia’s affiliate Energia Overseas Limited, 3% owned by Boeing and 2% owned by Norway’s Aker Solutions.

End