Land Launch

Land Launch was a satellite-launch service offering created by Sea Launch in 2002 with Russian and Ukrainian partners. It was designed to complement Sea Launch’s principal business rather than replace it: Sea Launch focused on heavier commercial satellites launched from its ocean-based platform, while Land Launch targeted lighter satellites that could be inserted directly into geosynchronous orbit or into geosynchronous transfer orbit from a land-based facility. The service operated from Site 45/1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and used the Zenit rocket family. Its principal vehicle was the Zenit-3SLB, a land-launch adaptation of the Zenit-3SL used by Sea Launch. Although the two vehicles shared substantially similar components, the Zenit-3SLB employed a smaller payload fairing suited to the smaller satellites targeted by Land Launch and to the different operational setting at Baikonur. A commercial version of the two-stage Zenit-2M, designated Zenit-2SLB, was also offered for potential commercial missions, although no contracted launch using that vehicle is identified in the available reference material. The service structure involved Space International Services (SIS), a Russian company formed by the Russian and Ukrainian partners to provide launch services and conduct launch operations. Sea Launch retained the right to market Land Launch to commercial customers, while SIS could market launch services to government customers. This arrangement gave the program a distinct commercial and institutional role within the broader Sea Launch family. Land Launch conducted its first mission on 28 April 2008. A Zenit-3SLB placed the AMOS-3 communications satellite, also identified as AMOS-60, into geosynchronous orbit. Its second recorded mission followed on 26 February 2009, when a Land Launch vehicle successfully deployed the Telstar 11N communications satellite. These missions demonstrated the service’s intended role as a land-based option for geosynchronous communications-satellite launches. Land Launch should be understood as a service product or program rather than as an independent company. The available reference identifies no separate corporate entity named Land Launch, no standalone headquarters, no public listing, and no confirmed current operating status. Its documented activity is concentrated in the 2002–2009 period, and the available material does not establish whether the service remains commercially active.

Land Launch originated in 2002 as a service extension of Sea Launch. The program was developed with Russian and Ukrainian partners to serve a payload segment that differed from Sea Launch’s main focus. Sea Launch was associated with heavy satellite launches from an ocean-based platform, whereas Land Launch was intended for lighter satellites requiring direct insertion into geosynchronous orbit or injection into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The operating model divided commercial and government-market responsibilities. The Russian and Ukrainian partners established Space International Services, commonly abbreviated SIS, as a Russian company responsible for providing launch services and carrying out launch operations. Sea Launch retained the right to market Land Launch to commercial customers, while SIS was permitted to market launch services to government customers. The available material describes Land Launch as a service product of Sea Launch SA rather than as an independently incorporated company. Land Launch used the Zenit family from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45/1 in Kazakhstan. Its main launch vehicle, the Zenit-3SLB, was closely related to the Zenit-3SL used for Sea Launch missions. The vehicles shared substantially the same components, but the Zenit-3SLB had a smaller payload fairing. That configuration accommodated the smaller satellites targeted by the program and reflected the different mission environment of a land-based launch from Baikonur. The program’s first mission took place on 28 April 2008 at 05:00 GMT. A Zenit-3SLB successfully placed the AMOS-3 communications satellite, also known as AMOS-60, into geosynchronous orbit. This mission provided the first operational demonstration of the Land Launch concept. A second mission followed on 26 February 2009, when Land Launch successfully deployed the Telstar 11N communications satellite. The service also offered the Zenit-2SLB, described as a commercial version of the two-stage Zenit-2M, for possible commercial launches. However, the available reference states that no launches had been contracted for the Zenit-2SLB. The documented history therefore consists of the program’s creation, its establishment as a complementary Sea Launch offering, and two successful satellite missions. The available material does not document later launches, a formal discontinuation date, a separate corporate headquarters, or a confirmed current operating status. Land Launch is consequently best characterized as a historically documented launch-service brand or program rather than a standalone continuing company.

• 2009

  Telstar 11N mission succeeds

  [1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Land Launch completed its second recorded mission by deploying the Telstar 11N communications satellite.

• 2008

  First Land Launch mission

  [1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  A Zenit-3SLB launched AMOS-3, also called AMOS-60, into geosynchronous orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45/1.

• 2002

  Land Launch is created

  [1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Sea Launch created Land Launch with Russian and Ukrainian partners to address lighter satellite payloads from a land-based launch site.

• 2002

  Space International Services is formed

  [1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  The Russian and Ukrainian partners formed Space International Services to provide launch services and conduct launch operations, with authority to market services to government customers.

A land-based complement to Sea Launch, positioned for lighter geosynchronous communications satellites while Sea Launch addressed heavier payloads from its ocean-based launch platform.

• Launch vehicle · 2008

  Zenit-3SLB

  The principal Land Launch vehicle was the Zenit-3SLB, a land-based variant related to the Zenit-3SL used by Sea Launch. It used substantially the same components as the Zenit-3SL but carried a smaller payload fairing, adapting it to the lighter satellites targeted by Land Launch and to launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome. It was used for the AMOS-3 and Telstar 11N missions documented for the service.

• Launch vehicle

  Zenit-2SLB

  The Zenit-2SLB was offered as a commercial version of the two-stage Zenit-2M for potential Land Launch missions. The available reference identifies it as part of the service’s proposed product range but states that no launches had been contracted for this vehicle.

• Space launch service · 2008

  Land Launch satellite launch service

  Land Launch provided land-based commercial and potentially government satellite-launch services from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45/1. Its target market consisted primarily of lighter communications satellites requiring geosynchronous-orbit or geosynchronous-transfer-orbit missions.

• 2008

  Introduce the Zenit-3SLB service through the AMOS-3 missionProduct launch

  Background

  Land Launch required an operational demonstration of its land-based Zenit launch configuration for lighter geosynchronous communications satellites.

  Action taken

  A Zenit-3SLB launched AMOS-3, also identified as AMOS-60, from Baikonur into geosynchronous orbit.

  Aftermath

  The mission marked the first recorded Land Launch flight and demonstrated the service’s intended operating model.

  Source

• 2002

  Create a land-based complement to Sea LaunchStrategy

  Background

  Sea Launch’s primary offering addressed heavy satellite missions, leaving an opportunity for a related service aimed at lighter satellites and land-based operations.

  Action taken

  Sea Launch established Land Launch with Russian and Ukrainian partners and assigned operational responsibilities to Space International Services.

  Aftermath

  The program conducted two documented Zenit-3SLB missions, while the proposed Zenit-2SLB offering had no identified contracted launches.

  Source

• 2009

  Land Launch deploys Telstar 11N[1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The service completed its second recorded mission on 26 February 2009, successfully launching the Telstar 11N communications satellite.

• 2008

  Land Launch conducts its first mission with AMOS-3[1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A Zenit-3SLB launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45/1 and placed the AMOS-3 communications satellite, also referred to as AMOS-60, into geosynchronous orbit.

• 2002

  Sea Launch establishes the Land Launch service[1]Land Launchen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Sea Launch created Land Launch with Russian and Ukrainian partners to provide land-based launch services for lighter satellites. Space International Services was formed to conduct launch operations and market services to government customers, while Sea Launch retained commercial marketing rights.

1. 1Land Launchen.wikipedia.org