It is possible that the Sea Launch platform will be relocated from California to the Far East. At least that's what sources in the space industry are saying, according to the online publication RIA Novosti.
The Sea Launch project was developed in the early 1990s. The idea was to create a floating space launch complex capable of providing the most favorable conditions for launching carriers. As part of the project, a special base port was established in the U.S. (California, Long Beach), and the launch platform Odyssey and assembly command ship Sea Launch Commander were built.
Until 2014, the Sea Launch program had over 30 successful launches of spacecraft, but then operations were suspended for various reasons. Last spring, S7 Group completed the acquisition of the Sea Launch cosmodrome from the structures of the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.
It is now reported that the floating platform is planned to be used for launches of the reusable commercial rocket carrier. This will require the relocation of the cosmodrome.
"If the platform continues to be based in the U.S., launches from it of the new rocket will be practically impossible — the agreement between Moscow and Washington allows only for launches of the Russian-Ukrainian Zenit rocket, the production of which ceased in 2014," notes RIA Novosti.
However, a final decision on the relocation of the floating platform has not yet been made. S7 is not providing comments on this issue.
Source: 3dnews.ru
