MOSCOW, December 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia conducted 45% of the world's spacecraft launches in 2006, maintaining its leading position, the head of the Federal Space Agency said Tuesday.
"Russia's current share in the spacecraft launch market is about 40%, and counting joint Russian-Ukrainian launches from the Sea Launch platform it totals about 45% of all launches conducted in the world," Anatoly Perminov said at a year-end news conference.
In 2006, Russia already conducted 24 launches, and plans to launch a Soyuz-2-1B carrier rocket with a Fregat booster and a French Corot satellite December 27, Perminov said, adding that in 2007 the number of launches will be reduced to about 20.
Perminov said Russia will allocate 24.04 billion rubles ($912.3 million) for the Federal Space Program in 2007.
"The budget for the Federal Space Program in 2006 totaled 23 billion rubles ($873 million), and in 2007 it will reach 24.04 billion rubles, without additional revenues," the official said.
The head of the space agency also said the United States was in second place in spacecraft launches, with 18 launches conducted in 2006, while Japan and China shared third place with six launches each.
The U.S. will use Russian spacecraft to fly its astronauts to the International Space Station after 2010, he said.
"Until 2010, the U.S. will use its space shuttles [to bring astronauts to the ISS], but after 2010 and until 2015-2020 they [the Americans] will fly to the station on board the Russian spacecraft," Perminov said, adding that Russia will start building its own space shuttles, the Clipper, in 2012.
"Russia's current share in the spacecraft launch market is about 40%, and counting joint Russian-Ukrainian launches from the Sea Launch platform it totals about 45% of all launches conducted in the world," Anatoly Perminov said at a year-end news conference.
In 2006, Russia already conducted 24 launches, and plans to launch a Soyuz-2-1B carrier rocket with a Fregat booster and a French Corot satellite December 27, Perminov said, adding that in 2007 the number of launches will be reduced to about 20.
Perminov said Russia will allocate 24.04 billion rubles ($912.3 million) for the Federal Space Program in 2007.
"The budget for the Federal Space Program in 2006 totaled 23 billion rubles ($873 million), and in 2007 it will reach 24.04 billion rubles, without additional revenues," the official said.
The head of the space agency also said the United States was in second place in spacecraft launches, with 18 launches conducted in 2006, while Japan and China shared third place with six launches each.
The U.S. will use Russian spacecraft to fly its astronauts to the International Space Station after 2010, he said.
"Until 2010, the U.S. will use its space shuttles [to bring astronauts to the ISS], but after 2010 and until 2015-2020 they [the Americans] will fly to the station on board the Russian spacecraft," Perminov said, adding that Russia will start building its own space shuttles, the Clipper, in 2012.
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