Head of State Space Agency of Ukraine: Ukraine should occupy its niche in rocket production

Ukraine has the potential for production of rocket and space equipment and should occupy a niche in the segment of orbital services.

"First, it’s a niche of orbital services. Second, it’s a niche of rocket and space equipment of a new generation of launch vehicles with new engines on new fuel components. And third, it may be space vehicles, satellites," Volodymyr Usov, Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine said at the Doing Space In UA conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He reminded that Ukraine is currently successfully implementing several projects commissioned by its international partners, including Antares project jointly with Northrop Grumman. As part of this project, Pivdenmash plant manufactured the central unit of the first stage of the Antares launch vehicle. Ukraine is a direct participant in this NASA project, which has been underway for more than a year.

Another project is implemented jointly with the European Space Agency. In particular, Ukraine manufactures engines for Vega rocket at the Pivdenmash plant.

"Ukraine provides NASA and the European Space Agency with its rocket equipment at the highest level," Usov said.

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