. 24/7 Space News .
ROCKET SCIENCE
What Ever Happened to Sea Launch?
by Staff Writers
bv Launchspace Staff Writers


Rumors about the future of Sea Launch are frequently aired, and media reports indicated that the floating launch platform was to be sold this year, probably to Russian investors.

Bethesda, MD (SPX) Oct 31, 2017 Sea Launch was a unique space launch system intended to be an attractive way to launch geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites. It was developed as a multinational endeavor that uses a mobile maritime launch platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on a specialized Zenit-3SL launch system.

The first launch took place in March 1999 with launches occurring occasionally for the next 15 years. A total of 36 attempts produced 32 complete successes and one partial success.

Almost all payloads were communications satellites intended for geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Customers included EchoStar, DirecTV, XM Satellite Radio, PanAmSat, and Thuraya. Launch vehicle assembly and payload integration were done on a special-purpose ship, Sea Launch Commander, in Long Beach Harbor, California.

Before leaving the harbor, an assembled vehicle was placed on top of a self-propelled seagoing platform, Ocean Odyssey, and both the ship and platform steamed to an equatorial launch location on the Pacific Ocean, south of Hawai'i.

A sea-based launch system means launches can be made from the optimum position on Earth's surface for geostationary satellites. This situation leads to increased payload capacity and reduced per-kg launch costs compared to other launch-site locations. Furthermore, satellites boosted by Sea Launch experienced extended life on-station due to lower propellant expenditures upon final GEO injection.

Unfortunately, due to financial and geopolitical complications, in 2014, Sea Launch had to mothball both ship and platform, and stop operations.

Looking back to 1995, Sea Launch was originally established as a consortium of four companies from Norway, Russia, Ukraine and U.S. It was managed by Boeing and based in Long Beach, CA. Operations were carried out by participants from the shareholder companies.

Normal operations took place for 10 years, but in 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Nevertheless, Sea Launch claimed it would continue normal business operations after filing for reorganization. However, about a year later, Energia, a 25% owner, announced a plan to acquire controlling interest in the company. One result of this was the introduction of land-based launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in early 2011. Sea-based launches were to resume later that year.

Sea Launch did emerge from bankruptcy in October 2010 as Energia Overseas Limited, a Russian corporation. Boeing and other U.S. companies did retain minority shares. However, in 2013, Boeing sued the Russian Energia and two Ukrainian partners, claiming the companies refused to pay more than $350 million following the joint venture's bankruptcy filing in 2009.

Jumping to mid-2014, following the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, a number of Russian media reports indicated Sea Launch might mothball the Odyssey launch platform. These claims were denied. Nevertheless, in August 2014, Sea Launch reduced staff and stopped operations, because they had no launches scheduled until late 2015. In fact, its last launch was in May of 2014.

Rumors about the future of Sea Launch are frequently aired, and media reports indicated that the floating launch platform was to be sold this year, probably to Russian investors.

ROCKET SCIENCE
Russia's S7 group plans to resume Zenit launches from Sea Launch platform
Moscow (Sputnik) Aug 16, 2017
Russia's S7 Space Transportation Systems company plans to start launching Zenit-3SL carrier rockets from the Sea Launch floating platform and continue until 2023, the company said on its website Monday. "Work is underway to end the conservation of the complex and to restore launch activities with the use of Zenit carrier rockets in the current configuration until 2023," the company said. ... read more

Related Links
Launchspace
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ROCKET SCIENCE
Pope asks spacemen life's big questions in ISS live chat

Scientist devises a solar reactor to make water and oxygen from moon rocks

How Does Your Space Garden Grow

NanoRacks Deploys Second Kaber-Class Microsatellite This Week, First On-Orbit Assembly

ROCKET SCIENCE
Arianespace to launch Inmarsat's fifth Global Xpress satellite

Thruster for Mars mission breaks records

Draper and Sierra Nevada Corporation announce new agreement for space missions

Aerojet Rocketdyne breaks ground on advanced manufacturing center in Huntsville

ROCKET SCIENCE
Winters leave marks on Mars' sand dunes

Winters on Mars are shaping the Red Planet's landscape

Levitation Key to How Martian Landscapes Form

Mars Rover Mission Progresses Toward Resumed Drilling

ROCKET SCIENCE
Space will see Communist loyalty: Chinese astronaut

China launches three satellites

Mars probe to carry 13 types of payload on 2020 mission

UN official commends China's role in space cooperation

ROCKET SCIENCE
Myanmar to launch own satellite system-2 in 2019: vice president

Eutelsat's Airbus-built full electric EUTELSAT 172B satellite reaches geostationary orbit

Turkey, Russia to Enhance Cooperation in the Field of Space Technologies

SpaceX launches 10 satellites for Iridium mobile network

ROCKET SCIENCE
High field magnet at BER II offers Insights into a hidden order

Solid or liquid? Researcher proposes a new definition of glass

Laser beams for superconductivity

Turning a material upside down can sometimes make it softer

ROCKET SCIENCE
Astronomers discover sunscreen snow falling on hot exoplanet

One small doorstep for man: Cosmic mat welcomes aliens

Citizen scientist spots comet tails streaking past distant star

Comet mission reveals 'missing link' in our understanding of planet formation

ROCKET SCIENCE
Haumea, the most peculiar of Pluto companions, has a ring around it

Ring around a dwarf planet detected

Helicopter test for Jupiter icy moons radar

Solving the Mystery of Pluto's Giant Blades of Ice









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.