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Russians
to Introduce New GEO Satellite
Gosudarstvennoe
predpriyatie Kosmicheskaya Svyaz (GPKS) (Space Communications
State Company) has signed an agreement with Khrunichev Space
Center to build a satellite for launch to geosynchronous orbit.
Rockot has been selected to launch the spacecraft. The agreement
will also promote other Khrunichev projects, such as the Yakhta
satellite platform.
The
Dialog satellite is being developed by the  Khrunichev
Space Center and is scheduled to be launched early in 2003. The
500-kilogram spacecraft will carry 10 to 12 transponders. Dialog
will be launched to a low orbit on top of a Rockot launch vehicle
and then moved to geostationary orbit with the help of two
engines. This process will take about six months. Khrunichev will
cover the cost of developing the Dialog satellite, which  Kosmicheskaya
Svyaz would then buy and operate. Financial details were not
disclosed. A small satellite like the Dialog is estimated to cost
between US$30 million and US$35 million. Rockot launches normally
cost between US$10 million and US$12 million. Kosmicheskaya Svyaz
has announced plans to set up a US$800 million network of seven
satellites to provide nationwide coverage to Russia.
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