The latest “read” at the launch company’s website was the the preparations for the Dnepr-DubaiSat-1 launch were progressing well at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The integration of DubaiSat-1, UK DMC-2, Deimos-1, NanoSat-1B, AprizeSat-3 and AprizeSat-4 satellites with the Space Head Module (SHM) adapters and SHM close-out were completed on July 17th, 2009. SHM electrical tests were finished on July 23rd. The SHM/launch vehicle mating was successfully performed on July 24th and SHM/launch vehicle electrical checkout activities were carried out on July 25th. Final launch preparations were being completed on July 28th. The launch is now scheduled for July 29th at 22 hrs 46 min, Moscow time. The reason for the new launch date was to complete additional safety and security tests. DubaiSat-1 is the first remote sensing satellite to be owned by the United Arab Emirates and will provide up-to-date monitoring of spatial and Earth data.
During the 1992-2003 timeframe, a team of Russian and Ukrainian companies, together with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), were involved in developing a commercial space launch system based on the technology of the SS-18 ICBMs that were being withdrawn from service. The decision to build such a launch system was preceded by a number of scientific research and preliminary design efforts, which resulted in a conclusion that the most promising and cost effective solution for payload orbital insertion would be a space launch system based on the SS-18 heavy ICBM with minimum modifications of the original missile. ISC Kosmotras was assigned the role of a team leader to build and commercially operate this SS-18 ICBM based space launch system and the entire program was given the name ‘Dnepr’. The main features of the Dnepr Program are as follow:
- Use of proven SS-18 missiles and associated ground infrastructure that possess a long flight history
- SS-18 launch record accounts for over 160 missions with 11 of them under the Dnepr Program that have delivered into orbit 45 payloads from Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, UK and USA
- Use of underground launch silos and ‘steam ejection’ type of liftoff thus minimizing the weather impact on the rocket and Space Head Module and allowing a long standby time inside the silo in a ready-for-launch condition
- Availability of a ‘back-up’ launcher for the period of processing the primary rocket for launch
- Availability of two launch bases: Baikonur (Kazakhstan) and Yasny (Russia)
- Availability of first stage impact areas in Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan and other countries
- Close cooperation with the Federal Space Agency of Russia (Roscosmos) and Russian Ministry of Defense (Strategic Rocket Forces, Space Forces), National Space Agency of the Ukraine
