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Russia’s S7 plans to set up corporate spaceport on orbit — source

Russia’s S7 group has acquired the Sea Launch floating spaceport from the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia on September 27

© AP Photo/John Raoux

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MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. Russia’s S7 group that acquired the Sea Launch floating spaceport is viewing an option of setting up a private spaceport on the orbit, a source close to the new management of the project told TASS on Thursday.

"An idea is considered to set up an orbital spaceport provisionally titled "Space Launch", in a similar way to the Sea Launch and the Land Launch. Examination of the idea is at the initial stage, the source said.

S7 did not comment on source’s statements. TASS has not yet received comments from the Russian federal space agency and the Rocket and Space Corporation (RKK) Energia company.

S7 Group of companies acquired the Sea Launch floating spaceport from the Sea Launch Group controlled by RKK Energia earlier this week. S7 will receive the infrastructure of the Sea Launch and the trademark. The deal is expected to be closed in approximately six months, after receiving an approval from the US authorities. Resumption of launches is scheduled to 2018.

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