Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center has purchased a majority interest in International Launch Services, the company that uses the Proton launch platform in Kazakhstan.
By purchasing the shares of Space Transport Inc, the US-Russian joint venture is now placed largely in Russian hands, though ILS will remain a US-registered company.
“Building on our strong working relationship with the ILS team, this transaction will cement ILS’s leadership role in the commercial launch services industry,” said Vladimir Nesterov, general director of Khrunichev, the Moscow-based research and design centre for the Proton launch system.
ILS president Frank McKenna said there would be no change in operations or management. “We have an outstanding relationship with Khrunichev delivering commercial Proton launch services for our customers over the past 15 years,” he said. “The completion of this transaction only strengthens the relationship with our launch partner, Khrunichev.”
ILS is responsible for selling commercial launch services on Proton and the new Angara vehicle.