Soviet space offer

1988/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronautika

Licensintorg, the commercial branch of the Soviet space agency, has signed an agreement with the English insurance company Jardine Galnvill to become its agent in the West.

The US disagrees with Soviet intentions. They have passed a warning to Western countries saying that bringing the satellites to the Soviet Union to be launched would break the technology export rules to the east. However, due to the sharp downturn of the American space program, in the US itself. there are many private companies that want to launch their satellites through the Soviets.

Potential customers can use any Soviet launcher to place their satellite in space. A launcher called proton, for example, can put 20 tons in a low orbit, a 5-ton probe on the Martitz or Venus road or a 2-ton communications satellite in a geostable orbit.

On the other hand, Proton launchers are very successful. Only 7 of the 97 releases made since 1970 have failed. That is, they have great reliability. For their part, the European Arians have failed 4 in 18 shots.