The first Ukrainian satellite “Lybid” is sheduled to launch in late 2017, as the Interfax reports, referring to a source at the “Baikonur” Cosmodrome.
“The launch of the Ukrainian telecommunications satellite “Lybid”, designed in Russia by order of the Canadian company MDA, is sheduled to carry out from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in late 2017 by means of the launch vehicle “Zenit-2SB” and the upper stage “Fregat-SB”, as informed by the source at the “Baikonur”.
Last summer it was reported that the Russian party informed its Ukrainian and Canadian partners that the warranty storage of the satellite was about to expire, and, consequently, it required extention.
In case of refusal of inspections, all subsequent period of the satellite’s remaining on earth after the storage expiry will be deducted from its operation period in orbit.
“Lybid” is the first Ukrainian telecommunications satellite. Its contractor is the Canadian company MDA, and the subcontractor is the “Information Satellite Systems”. The launch vehicles “Zenit” are designed in Ukraine.
The contract with Canadian partners was signed in 2009, but, for various reasons, including the financial problems of the Canadian party, the launch of the satellite “Lybid” was postponed several times.
