Russia’s satellite nations, led by the country with the largest military budget, signed a deal to use the country’s most powerful rocket to launch satellites.
Key points:Russia’s SES-9 rocket launches the first Russian-made satellite in more than 20 yearsRussian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a joint declaration in Moscow, as they meet for the first time since the start of the joint drillThe agreement was announced by Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedesev, who have been working closely on satellite deployment since the end of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
The two presidents also announced the launch of a satellite navigation system, SES N1A, that will be used by the government to provide real-time satellite navigation information.
“We have to start a new era in the relationship between Russia and the United States,” Putin said at the signing ceremony.
“It will be a new and decisive period.
This new era will be based on the spirit of friendship and cooperation.”
Satellite navies are crucial for the future of Russia and other nations in space, as the world’s largest satellite market is expected to expand dramatically in the coming years.
Russia’s space fleet has grown by 50 per cent since the Sochi Olympics, and its military budget has nearly tripled.
“This agreement gives the SES nations the means to use Russia’s SESA-9-K rocket, which will be launched in 2017,” SES said in a statement.
“Satellite navigation services are of fundamental importance for all nations, including Russia, as we move forward towards a new age of space cooperation,” it added.
Russia is the only country to have launched its own rockets to orbit and use the S-band and Ku-band spectrum, which has been used for communications since the 1970s.
The country also has several satellites in the process of being deployed, including the SBS-3, a communications satellite that was launched earlier this month, and the SBI-6, a weather satellite.
Earlier this year, Russia’s Defence Ministry said the SSP-1 and SSP2 satellites were in orbit.