ROKOT, RUSSIAN BOOSTER ROCKET TO PUT GOCE, EUROPEAN SATELLITE INTO ORBIT

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MOSCOW, January 15, 2003. (RIA Novosti correspondent Alexander Kovalev). The Eurokot company, a joint venture between the Khrunichev center and the European Space Agency executed a contract to launch a Rokot booster rocket with the scientific GOCE satellite on board.

On Thursday a representative of the State Space Khrunichev center specified that "the GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer mission) satellite was designed to measure distribution of the gravitation field of the Earth as well as circulation of waters of the World Ocean with its unique super-accurate equipment." The launch of the GOCE satellite scheduled for August 2006 will become the first step towards implementation of major areas of the comprehensive European "Earth observation from space" program.

The Khrunichev center is the developer and manufacturer of the Rokot booster rocket of the light class. The Rokot rocket based on a conversion SS-19 (Stiletto) missile is used to place spacecraft into geo-stationary orbits as well as to implement various launch schemes, including group ones.

The Eurokot joint venture made up by the Khrinichev center (49% of shares) and the European Space concern EADS Space Transportation (51% of shares) will carry out all commercial launches of the Rokot booster rocket.

In 2004 one commercial launch of the rocket is planned. In the interests of the European space Agency a CRYOSAT spacecraft will be put into orbit.

Since 2003 Rokot booster rocket took part in 4 successful commercial launches.

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