International Launch Services
A commercial space-launch services company that markets Russian Proton and Angara launch vehicles.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
International Launch Services, Inc. (ILS) is a privately held commercial space-launch services company established in 1995. It was created as an international partnership involving Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev and Energia, and initially marketed non-military launches using both the American Atlas family and Russia’s Proton expendable launch vehicle. The company’s commercial role has generally been to contract with satellite operators, arrange launch opportunities, and provide customers with access to launch vehicles and associated mission services rather than to manufacture the rockets itself. ILS’s commercial activity was initially divided between Atlas and Proton. Its Atlas business included the Atlas IIAS launch of Intelsat 704 in January 1995 and culminated in the Atlas V launch of SES Astra 1KR on 20 April 2006. That mission marked ILS’s 100th launch, of which 97 had been successful according to the company’s historical account. Following Lockheed Martin’s withdrawal from the partnership, ILS stopped marketing Atlas and concentrated on Proton services. The 2006 ownership transition was a major turning point. Lockheed Martin sold its interests in Lockheed Khrunichev Energia International and ILS to Space Transport Inc., a transaction vehicle associated with Mario Lemme, a consultant and former ILS board member. Lockheed Martin retained the commercial marketing rights for Atlas and continued that business through Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services, while ILS remained focused on Proton. In May 2008, Khrunichev acquired Space Transport’s interest and became ILS’s majority shareholder. ILS continued to operate as an American corporation from Reston, Virginia, maintaining a distinct commercial identity and management structure. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, ILS built a substantial Proton order book. The company reported 45 commercial Proton missions by May 2008, 22 orders with an approximate value of $2 billion at that time, and 24 firm missions by June 2009. In January 2014, it reported an order book of 14 launches worth more than $1 billion. Proton’s heavy-lift capability made it attractive for large geostationary communications satellites, particularly when competing vehicles had limited availability or insufficient lift performance for particular payloads. The company later faced a more difficult commercial environment. Proton’s flight rate fell because of launch failures, reliability concerns, changing satellite designs, declining demand for very large geostationary spacecraft, and competition from newer providers including SpaceX. ILS began marketing Russia’s Angara launch family to commercial customers in 2015, seeking to extend its product portfolio beyond Proton. A planned first commercial Angara mission involving South Korea’s Kompsat 6 was subsequently reassigned to Vega-C. ILS’s last scheduled commercial mission was the Proton launch of Eutelsat 5 West B and the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 on 9 October 2019. In April 2019, ILS and Glavkosmos announced closer cooperation intended to align pricing with customer requirements and develop broader, more flexible launch agreements. The announcement stated that ILS would continue operating independently as an American corporation and that any future ownership change would require regulatory approval. ILS is therefore best understood as a specialist international launch-marketing and mission-services brand whose historical importance lies in bringing Proton to the global commercial satellite market.
History
ILS was founded in 1995 as a private international spaceflight partnership between Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev and Energia. Its original commercial mandate covered non-military Atlas and Proton launches. This structure gave satellite operators a single international sales channel for launch vehicles developed and operated in different national aerospace systems. The company’s first Atlas launch was the Atlas IIAS mission carrying Intelsat 704 on 10 January 1995. Proton launches were conducted from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, while Atlas missions were launched from the United States. By the Atlas V mission for SES Astra 1KR on 20 April 2006, ILS had reached 100 total launches, with 97 recorded as successful. In September 2006, Lockheed Martin announced plans to sell its interests in ILS and Lockheed Khrunichev Energia International. The transaction closed in October 2006 with Space Transport Inc., which had been formed for the deal and was associated with Mario Lemme. Lockheed Martin retained the rights to market Atlas commercially, whereas ILS continued with Proton. Atlas commercial launches subsequently became associated with United Launch Alliance and Lockheed Martin’s commercial launch organization rather than ILS. Khrunichev acquired Space Transport’s interest in May 2008 and became ILS’s majority shareholder. Despite the ownership change, ILS remained an American company, with headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Proton became the company’s central offering. ILS reported 45 commercial Proton missions by May 2008 and maintained a sizable backlog through the following decade. Proton’s heavy-lift capacity was particularly relevant to large communications satellites destined for geostationary orbit. The market became more challenging after 2010. Proton experienced several failures and a reduced launch cadence, while satellite operators increasingly adopted smaller spacecraft and alternative launch strategies. Competition from SpaceX and Arianespace also reduced the availability of new large commercial contracts. The company reported no commercial Proton launches in 2018 and two in 2019. In July 2015, ILS expanded its marketing portfolio by offering the Russian Angara family to commercial customers. Angara was intended to provide a newer Russian launch option from Plesetsk and Vostochny Cosmodromes. A proposed commercial mission for Kompsat 6 was later reassigned to Vega-C. ILS’s last scheduled commercial mission was a Proton launch on 9 October 2019 carrying Eutelsat 5 West B and MEV-1. In April 2019, ILS and Glavkosmos also announced closer cooperation on pricing and strategic launch agreements while stating that ILS would remain independent as an American corporation.
- 2019
Final scheduled commercial Proton mission
[1]Proton launches Eutelsat 5 West B and MEV-1 on 9 October.
- 2015
Angara commercial marketing begins
[1]ILS begins offering Angara launch services to commercial customers.
- 2008
Khrunichev becomes majority owner
[1]Khrunichev acquires Space Transport’s interest in ILS.
- 2006
100th launch milestone
[1]The Atlas V launch of SES Astra 1KR becomes ILS’s 100th launch and its final Atlas-marketed mission.
- 2006
Lockheed Martin exits ownership
[1]Lockheed Martin sells its ILS interests to Space Transport Inc. and retains Atlas commercial marketing rights.
- 1995
ILS is established
[1]Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev and Energia form ILS to market international commercial Atlas and Proton launch services.
- 1995
First Atlas commercial mission
[1]An Atlas IIAS launches Intelsat 704 on 10 January.
Products and positioning
A specialist commercial launch-services provider offering international satellite operators access to Russian Proton and, subsequently, Angara launch vehicles.
Commercial orbital launch service · 1995
Proton launch services
ILS’s principal historical offering was commercial access to Russia’s Proton family, a heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used extensively for large communications satellites and other spacecraft. Proton missions marketed by ILS launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The service typically involved launch contracting, mission planning, payload integration coordination and access to a flight-proven vehicle. Proton was commercially important because its lift capability supported payloads that could not always be accommodated by smaller competing rockets.
Commercial orbital launch service · 1995
Atlas launch services
Atlas was part of ILS’s original portfolio. The company marketed non-military Atlas launches alongside Proton, including Atlas IIAS and Atlas V missions. After Lockheed Martin sold its ILS interests in 2006, it retained commercial Atlas marketing rights, and ILS focused exclusively on Proton. Atlas therefore represents an important former product line rather than a current ILS offering.
Commercial orbital launch service · 2015
Angara launch services
ILS began marketing Russia’s Angara launch family in 2015. Angara was presented as a newer Russian launch option, with missions associated with Plesetsk and Vostochny Cosmodromes. The commercial program was intended to broaden ILS’s offering beyond Proton, although the planned Kompsat 6 mission was later reassigned to Europe’s Vega-C.
Brand decisions
2019
Closer cooperation with GlavkosmosStrategyBackground
ILS faced pressure from new launch providers, lower Proton flight rates and changing satellite demand.
Action taken
ILS and Glavkosmos announced cooperation on customer-oriented pricing and more flexible strategic launch agreements.
Aftermath
The announcement stated that ILS would continue operating independently and that any ownership change would require regulatory approval.
2015
Angara added to commercial portfolioProduct launchBackground
ILS sought to broaden its launch offering as Proton faced a changing market and growing competition.
Action taken
The company began marketing Angara launch services to commercial customers.
Aftermath
The planned Kompsat 6 commercial mission did not remain with Angara and was later assigned to Vega-C.
2008
Khrunichev acquires majority ownershipM&ABackground
Space Transport Inc. held the interest acquired from Lockheed Martin in 2006.
Action taken
Khrunichev acquired all of Space Transport’s interest in ILS.
Aftermath
ILS retained its American corporate identity while becoming majority-owned by Khrunichev.
2006
Withdrawal from Atlas marketing after ownership transitionM&ABackground
Lockheed Martin’s sale of its ILS interests changed the company’s relationship with the Atlas launch vehicle.
Action taken
ILS continued marketing Proton, while Lockheed Martin retained commercial Atlas rights through its own launch-services organization.
Aftermath
ILS became a Proton-focused company, and commercial Atlas activity moved outside the ILS brand.
Recent events
ILS launches EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite[3]
Reported:
International Launch Services successfully launched Eutelsat Communications’ EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite into super-synchronous transfer orbit on October 9. The satellite was intended to replace EUTELSAT 5 West A at 5 degrees West after further maneuvers and in-orbit tests.
Sources3 sources
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