Posted: Fri, Jul 29, 2005, 9:04 AM ET (1304 GMT)
Communications satellite operator PanAmSat will be the first customer for Land Launch, the land-based variant of the Sea Launch system, Boeing announced Thursday. PanAmSat signed a contract earlier this month for the launch of its PAS-11 satellite on a Zenit-3SLB booster in the second quarter of 2007. The satellite, to be built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, weighs 2,500 kilograms and will be located at 43 degrees west. The contract is the first for Land Launch, which uses a version of the Zenit-3SL booster used by Sea Launch but launches from Baikonur. Land Launch is designed for smaller GEO payloads weighing up to 3,500 kg; Sea Launch can carry payloads of up to 6,000 kg. Land LAunch is a joint venture of the Boeing-led Sea Launch consortium and Space International Services, a Russo-Ukranian joint venture. PanAmSat also signed contracts to launch two larger spacecraft, Galaxy 16 and 18, on Sea Launch missions in 2006 and 2007.

Related Links:

•  Space News article (subscription required)
•  Boeing press release about Land Launch
•  Boeing press release about Sea Launch contracts