Sich-2 Ukraine Earth Remote Sensing Satellite Delayed Launch

The launch of the Ukrainian Earth remote sensing satellite Sich-2 has been postponed again. Chief of the National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) Yuriy Alekseev said the postponement was caused by the organizational problems arising from the Russian side.

According to available information, the satellite has been waiting for the start at the landfill for half a month now. Previously, the satellite's launch had been scheduled for October, then December 2010, the last time - for the first quarter of 2011. Yuzhnoye Design Office general designer Oleksandr Dehtyarev expressed confidence that the launch of the Dnepr carrier rocket from the Sich-2 satellite will be held in May or early June 2011.

Satellite Sich-2 is designed to address the practical and scientific challenges of regional and local level to monitor crisis situations, vegetation and soil cover of land, create digital terrain maps, as well as conduct resource management and planning on urban and coastal areas.