Les lancements de SeaLaunch reprendront en 2011

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Compte-tenu des évolutions de Sea-Launch qui devient une société majoritairement russe je poste maintenant les nouvelles de la société dans la partie russe. La société sauvée par une filiale d'Energia (EOL, Energia Overseas Limited) spécialement créée à cet effet devrait présenter son plan de réorganisation le 14 juin et sortir officiellement du "Chapitre 11" au dernier semestre 2010. SeaLaunch prévoit alors un rythme de lancement d'environ 4-5 lancements par an.

Launches from the platform of the Sea Launch to resume in 2011
:: 21.05.2010

Consortium Sea Launch "(Sea Launch) plans to resume commercial space launches from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean in 2011, said Kjell Karlsen, president of the consortium. "Sea Launch" expects to 4 - 5 launches per year.
Corporation Sea Launch, with headquarters in Long Beach (Calif.), was established in 1995 by Boeing, the Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, the Norwegian firm Kvaerner and two Ukrainian companies - KB " Yuzhnoye and Yuzhmash.
Recall that in late June 2009 a consortium of the Sea Launch has applied for recognition of the company bankrupt. "We want to assure our customers, employees, suppliers and partners that the company" Sea Launch "intends to continue its work after the reorganization," - emphasized in the official announcement of the company.
Sea Launch launches carried Zenit-SL »with ocean platforms. Upper stage for the "Zenith" produces RSC Energia.
Since 1999, Sea Launch has launched 33 rockets, 30 launches were successful. Total debt of the company at the time of filing the bankruptcy petition was estimated at $ 1 billion in assets - in the $ 100-500 million, the cost of launch - more than $ 80 million, as explained in the annual report of the Boeing Company for the year 2009, a significant portion of the debt obligations amounted to Sea Launch before the Boeing.
At the end of April this year it was reported that a specially created subsidiary of RSC Energia company Energia Overseas Limited (EOL) will help "Sea Launch" get out of bankruptcy. "Energy", shareholder in the consortium will pay for the ongoing activities of the consortium and may buy it in its entirety. The largest shareholder of the project the U.S. Boeing has lost interest in it a year ago.
According to Carlsen, the reorganization plan "Sea Launch" will be presented June 14. If it receives approval, the company will come out of bankruptcy in September.
After the reorganization of the business of the company ceases to be unprofitable, says Carlsen.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=10770

[montmein69]

Dans le FIL qui existait j'avais soulevé le problème du port de base futur pour Sea-Launch (la plate forme et le navire de commandement).
Il semblait (mais peut-être me trompé-je) qu'il serait assez improbable que cela continue à être hébergé dans le port américain (Long Beach Harbor tout près de Los Angeles).


Alors ... peut-on envisager Vladivostok ? .... Cayenne -avec un deal franco-russe - (pour tirer dans l'Atlantique ?) ..... :?: :?: :?:

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Les choses vont-elles s'arranger pour Sea-Launch?

Le groupe international Sea Launch a signé la semaine dernière un contrat sur la mise en orbite d'un satellite qui permettra d'augmenter son carnet de commandes, mis à mal par un tir raté début 2007, a annoncé lundi Sea Launch sur son site.

"Le groupe placera en orbite géostationnaire un satellite de télécommunications d'Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company (AsiaSat) entre 2012 et 2014", est-il indiqué dans un communiqué du groupe qui avait effectué plus de 30 tirs réussis depuis la plateforme flottante Odyssey avant l'explosion d'un lanceur au décollage en 2007.

Créée en 1995, Sea Launch est la seule société au monde à réaliser des lancements spatiaux depuis une plateforme flottante positionnée à proximité immédiate de l'équateur, dans le Pacifique, afin de maximiser la charge utile des fusées (jusqu'à 3 tonnes pour l'orbite géostationnaire, 6 t pour l'orbite de transfert géostationnaire et 9 t pour les orbites terrestres basses).

Suite à l'échec du tir d'un lanceur Zenit-3SL en 2007, les lancements ont été interrompus pendant un an et le carnet de commandes de Sea Launch a notablement diminué.

Sea Launch, en redressement judiciaire depuis juin 2009, a présenté un plan de réorganisation le 10 mai dernier au tribunal des faillites du district américain du Delaware. Son affaire sera examinée le 27 juillet prochain, selon le communiqué qui stipule que l'entreprise compte sortir de la faillite en 2010.

Le consortium Sea Launch regroupe le géant aéronautique américain Boeing (40%), le norvégien Aker Kvaerner (20%), les ukrainiens Ioujnoe (5%) et Ioujmachzavod (10%) et la société de construction spatiale russe RKK Energuia (25%).

Aux termes du plan de réorganisation, une filiale de RKK Energuia - Energuia Overseas Limited (EOL) - compte acquérir 85% des actions de Sea Launch en échange d'un investissement dans le capital de 140 millions de dollars. La part restante (15%) sera détenue par les créanciers chirographaires de Sea Launch. Energia fournira également à Sea Launch l'accès à un fond de roulement d'un montant de 200 millions de dollars.

Le dernier tir effectué depuis la plateforme Odyssey remonte à avril 2009. Un Zenit-3SL a orbitalisé le satellite italien SICRAL 1B, selon le site officiel de Sea Launch.

http://fr.rian.ru/science/20100713/187056327.html

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La justice américaine a approuvé le plan de réorganisation de Sealaunch avec le transfert à Energia.

The court in the United States approved the reorganization plan of the international Sea Launch consortium under the authority of RSC Energia
:: 29.07.2010

The court in the bankruptcy of the American state of Delaware has approved the reorganization plan is an international consortium to launch commercial satellites Sea Launch Co. LLC, said in a statement Sea Launch. How to remind the American media, the reorganization plan provides for the transfer of control over the Sea Launch "daughter" Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.
"Adoption of the court of our reorganization plan is the next stage of the restructuring process, Sea Launch, which brings us to re-enter the market as a strong and competitive companies, providing commercial launch services for satellites," - said the president and general manager of Sea Launch Kyell Carlsen.
The company notes that the plan will come into force only after its consideration by U.S. regulators. In particular, writes the American press, the U.S. State Department must approve the transfer agreements for export license from Boeing (one of the founders of Sea Launch) Russian Energia.
In June of 2009. Company Sea Launch ("Sea Launch") filed in a U.S. court for bankruptcy in accordance with Article 11 of the U.S. Code of bankruptcy. This article allows the company to pass the procedure of reorganization and financial restructuring without the elimination of business. The reorganization plan provides for the transfer of 85% stake in Sea Launch company Energia Overseas Ltd. - A subsidiary of RSC Energia - in exchange for investments in the amount of $ 140 million, reported in May this year Sea Launch. The remaining 15% in the reorganized company would get its unsecured creditors.
International Company Sea Launch was created for the project "Sea Launch" to launch commercial satellites from the Baikonur sea in the Pacific Ocean. The founders include the American Boeing Commercial Space Company "(40% of the share capital), RSC Energia after SP Korolev (25%), Norway's Kvaerner Maritime (20%) and aerospace enterprises of Ukraine - PO Yuzhmashzavod, CCH "Southern" im.M.K.Yangelya (15%).

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=11853

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 27, 2010 – The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware today approved the Sea Launch Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"). Sea Launch Company LLC, a leading provider of launch services to the commercial satellite industry, filed the Plan on May 10, in preparation for its emergence from Chapter 11.

Court confirmation of the Plan is the culmination of a 13-month restructuring process that was initiated when Sea Launch filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 22, 2009. The Plan will become effective following completion of U.S. regulatory review.

"Court confirmation of our Plan of Reorganization is the next step in the reorganization process for Sea Launch and brings us closer to re-entering the market as a strong and competitive commercial launch service provider," said Kjell Karlsen, president and general manager of Sea Launch. "We will continue toward emergence with a solid financial structure and a healthy manifest of future launches."

Jefferies & Company, Alston & Bird LLP and Chris Picone of Buccino & Associates, Inc., serve as advisors to Sea Launch.

http://www.sea-launch.com/news_releases/2010/nr_100727.html

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L'info reprise sur le site de Roscosmos:

Russia’s Energia To Own 95 Percent of New Sea Launch
:: 29.07.2010

Commercial launch-service provider Sea Launch Co. expects to receive final U.S. government approval of its post-bankruptcy reorganization plan by September, an event that will trigger the investment by its new Russian owner of $140 million in operating capital and $15 million for a creditors’ trust account, Sea Launch President Kjell Karlsen said July 28.
The Delaware Bankruptcy Court managing the Long Beach, Calif.-based company’s Chapter 11 reorganization July 27 approved the company’s proposed debt restructuring and return to operations.
The new Sea Launch will be 95 percent owned by affiliates of RSC Energia of Korolev, Russia, a large space-system manufacturer that already had been a Sea Launch shareholder and provides the upper stage for Sea Launch’s Zenit-3SL rocket.
Energia will replace Boeing Co. as Sea Launch’s general contractor, a shift that will require the approval of the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews acquisitions that may have national security implications.
Karlsen said CFIUS representatives have been kept informed of Sea Launch’s status and plans throughout the 13-month bankruptcy proceedings. He said he anticipated no serious obstacles that would delay CFIUS approval of the new Sea Launch ownership structure.
Energia has secured $140 million in cash to be invested in Sea Launch as the company refurbishes its sea-based operation after being idle since April 2009. As part of the agreement with the Delaware Bankruptcy Court, Energia also will be setting aside $15 million for Sea Launch’s creditors, including Boeing.
In a July 28 interview as he was preparing to leave Wilmington, Del., for what he said he assumed was the last time, Karlsen said Sea Launch’s operating expenses are less than $2 million a month. “The Energia investment will last us for quite some time,” he said, adding that once it returns to full operation, the company’s operating costs will total less than $50 million per year.
Karlsen said Sea Launch, now freed of the substantial debt as a result of the Chapter 11 reorganization, will be profitable with as few as two launches per year, although it expects to ramp up activity to perform four launches in 2012 and five in 2013.
The Sea Launch system includes a command ship and a converted semi-submersible oil platform that has been converted into a launch pad. The company launches heavy telecommunications satellites from a site on the equator in the Pacific Ocean.
Operating from international waters, Sea Launch has been unable to qualify as a U.S. rocket, meaning it cannot bid to launch U.S. government satellites. It also has never launched a Russian government satellite.
The lack of a government regulatory home has made Sea Launch entirely dependent on the state of the commercial satellite industry.
Karlsen said the commercial satellite market follows regular cycles and that it is currently at the top of a cycle that is likely to turn down, perhaps sharply, in the next couple of years.
But with a business model that enables it to remain profitable even at two launches per year, Sea Launch is well-positioned to survive the coming downturn, he said.
Several commercial satellite operators have voiced support for Sea Launch, and four — Intelsat of Luxembourg and Washington; Eutelsat of Paris; AsiaSat of Hong Kong; and EchoStar of Englewood, Colo. — have signed various commitments to use Sea Launch in the next few years.
Karlsen said the company’s first post-bankruptcy mission will not be by the sea-based operation, but by Land Launch of Moscow, for which Sea Launch acts as a marketing agent. Land Launch uses the same Sea Launch rocket hardware, but operates from the Russian-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Land Launch specializes in lighter telecommunications satellites.
Land Launch’s next mission, scheduled for early 2011, is set to carry the Intelsat 18 satellite.


http://www.spacenews.com/launch/100728-energia-own-sealaunch.html

Selon le dirigeant de Sea-launch la société sera désormais "profitable" avec seulement 2 lancements par an bien qu'elle en prévoit 4 en 2012 et 5 en 2013.
Il ajoute que le marché des lancements de satellite est cyclique (il n'a pas tord!) et que les deux années prochaines seront dans le creux. Le prochain lancement aura lieu début 2011 mais à partir de Baïkonour (Landlaunch) pour Intelsat 18. Dans ce cas Sealaunch agit en tant qu'agent commercial pour Landlaunch.

Mon commentaire: je ne serais pas étonné qu'Energia utilise ensuite (dans quelques années) cette plateforme Odissey (ou Baïkonour - Landlaunch -) pour essayer son PTS au sommet de la Zénit, surtout si la coopération avec l'Ukraine est fortement réactivée comme cela se profile...

[montmein69]

Selon le dirigeant de Sea-launch la société sera désormais "profitable" avec seulement 2 lancements par an bien qu'elle en prévoit 4 en 2012 et 5 en 2013.

Oui ... veut-il dire rentable ? ou plus prosaïquement, que la société ne oontinuerait pas à perdre de l'argent ?

Il ajoute que le marché des lancements de satellite est cyclique (il n'a pas tord!) et que les deux années prochaines seront dans le creux. Le prochain lancement aura lieu début 2011 mais à partir de Baïkonour (Landlaunch) pour Intelsat 18. Dans ce cas Sealaunch agit en tant qu'agent commercial pour Landlaunch.

Moi j'avais interprêté que c'est uniquement de Baikonour qu'on aurait les lancements en 2011. Et donc rien de vraiment assuré comme tir depuis la plate-forme avant 2012 au mieux (raison économique ? technique ? interrogation sur la possibilité de rester basé à Long Beach sur le sol américain -je persiste à penser qu'il y a une différence entre autoriser que les bureaux de la société soient sur le sol américain et qu'une base logistique avec des techniciens russes le puisse ? Sans oublier que les sociétés du COTS n'ont aucun avantage à avoir un concurrent opérationnel bénéficiant d'une aide logistique américaine).
Donc amibguïté selon moi sur la reprise d'activité de Sea Launch (vrai en terme d'"étiquette commerciale puisque la société Sea Lauch gère les tirs Land Launch de Baikonour, mais faux pour l'activité de la plate-forme)

Mon commentaire: je ne serais pas étonné qu'Energia utilise ensuite (dans quelques années) cette plateforme Odissey (ou Baïkonour - Landlaunch -) pour essayer son PTS au sommet de la Zénit, surtout si la coopération avec l'Ukraine est fortement réactivée comme cela se profile...

On peut faire de nombreuses hypothèses.
Pas évident que cela soit intéressant vu que les tests depuis la plate-forme seraient assez éloignés des conditions réelles (latitude de tir, contrôle du retour, infrastructures de suivi optimisés pour les tirs depuis le sol russe) ... cela me parait plus simple de tout contrôler à partir de Baikonour en attendant Vostochny.
D'un autre côté y aurait-il possibilité d'un deal avec les américains sur le port de base de Long Beach Harbor, en faisant miroiter que la capsule pourrait être opérationnelle avant que les USA aient leur propre système ... donc que les conditions d'achat de sièges pour amener leurs équipages sur l'ISS pourraient être facilitées par des accords de bon voisinage :?: :?:

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Oui les lancements semblent se cantonner en 2011 à Landlaunch. Par contre je ne vois aucun problème à ce que la société "exerce" à Long Beach comme avant (mais je ne sais pas si elle le fera).

Enfin elle ne peut, comme cela est indiqué dans l'une des infos plus haut, lancer des satellites fédéraux américains. Elle n'y est pas autorisée. Les américains sont parfois très protectionnistes (ou ici très méfiants pour leur satellites militaires et d'Etat). Pour les commerciaux pas de problème. Question: pourrait-elle lancer un satellite fédéral russe? La question devrait être même plus précisement, transporter un satellite fédéral russe (puisque le lancement se fait depuis les eaux internationales)?

[montmein69]

Oui les lancements semblent se cantonner en 2011 à Landlaunch. Par contre je ne vois aucun problème à ce que la société "exerce" à Long Beach comme avant (mais je ne sais pas si elle le fera).

Enfin elle ne peut, comme cela est indiqué dans l'une des infos plus haut, lancer des satellites fédéraux américains. Elle n'y est pas autorisée. Les américains sont parfois très protectionnistes (ou ici très méfiants pour leur satellites militaires et d'Etat). Pour les commerciaux pas de problème.

Je pensais bien à la concurrence sur les tirs commerciaux. Les sociétés du COTS bénéficieront bien sûr des commandes d'Etat (desserte de l'ISS ou satellites stratégiques) mais elles ont probablement des visées sur le marché commercial mondial.
Il y a déjà des levées de bouclier pour défendre l'industrie nationale, le leadership américain etc .... je doute qu'une société concurrente russe se voit offrir des facilités à partir du sol américain.
Mais bon ... on n'est pas dans les réunions de négociation .... on verra bien si la reprise d'activité de la plate-forme est annoncée, et à partir de quand et dans quelles conditions :scratch:

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Sealaunch est de nouveau opérationnel en venant de sortir du chapitre 11.

La société est maintenant majoritairement détenue par Energia au travers d'une filiale, EOL (Energia Oversea Ltd). Une autre entité, Energia Logistics, assurera le travail au port de Long Beach alors que Moscou assurera la supervision des fournisseurs.

Au programme de l'année 2011:
- au premier trimestre un lancement depuis Baïkonour (Intelsat 18)
- au troisième trimestre le premier lancement depuis la plate-forme en mer Odyssey.

LONG BEACH, Calif., October 27, 2010 – Sea Launch Company has successfully completed its Chapter 11 reorganization process, effective October 27, 2010. As part of the court-approved Plan of Reorganization, Energia Overseas Limited (EOL), a Russian corporation, will have acquired a majority ownership of the reorganized Sea Launch entity.

The Plan of Reorganization was approved by Judge Brendan Shannon, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 27, 2010. The successor entity, Sea Launch S.a.r.l., will be responsible for corporate functions at its operations headquarters and will maintain some assets at Sea Launch Home Port, in the Port of Long Beach, in Southern California.

Energia Logistics Ltd., a U.S. corporation, will assume management of rocket assembly and satellite integration operations at the existing Sea Launch Home Port facilities. A Moscow-based EOL-affiliate will manage supply chain operations of all CIS-based primary and second-tier suppliers for the Sea Launch system. The reliable Zenit-3SL launch system and its experienced operations team, with a history of 30 launches to date, will continue to support future launches.

Kjell Karlsen, Sea Launch president and general manager, and Brett Carman, chief financial officer – as well as some of the senior members of Sea Launch‟s executive management team – are transitioning to the new Sea Launch entity and will be joined by new professionals who will be added to the Sea Launch team as it returns to full flight operations.

Leading up to the closing of the transaction with EOL, Sea Launch successfully completed a series of milestones in 2009-10, followed by U.S. Government review of the new ownership structure. The transaction cleared the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on September 8, 2010.

“We are thrilled to have successfully emerged from Chapter 11 with a solid financial structure and a healthy manifest of future launches,” said Karlsen. “Completing this transaction will represent a significant accomplishment in the final steps toward re-entering the market as a strong and competitive commercial launch service provider. We are now planning for our return to launch operations in 2011, building on the continuity of our collective expertise and proven experience of our launch system and our team.

“I want to thank everyone involved in supporting this effort, including our dedicated employees, partners and suppliers, as well as our advisors and customers, who have trusted us to provide future access to space for their satellites. We could not have succeeded in this endeavor without their commitment and support.”

“We had an opportunity to systematically analyze all the existing processes and operations, both internal and external, and as a result, we are talking about an overhaul of the business at all levels,” said Dennis Shomko a spokesman for EOL. “For customers, that means transparency, reliability and predictability. We are confident that we can deliver a competitive level of „business comfort‟ to them, while ensuring that our suppliers are managed appropriately. ”

Sea Launch is currently gearing up its operations and conducting maintenance of all launch related systems, while at the same time preparing for a Land Launch mission slated for as early as the 1st Quarter of 2011. This mission, the launch of the Intelsat-18 communications satellite, will originate from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan. The next mission from the equatorial launch site is planned for the 3rd Quarter of 2011. The world‟s only ocean-based launch operations originate from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude, in international waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Jefferies & Company, Alston & Bird and Chris Picone of Buccino & Associates, Inc., served as advisors to Sea Launch. Salans, LLP, and Avicon (UK) served as advisors to Energia Overseas Limited.

About Sea Launch
Sea Launch, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., offers the most direct and cost-effective route to geostationary orbit for heavy commercial communications satellites. Sea Launch also offers Land Launch services for medium weight satellites, with launch operations originating from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan. For more information, please visit the company website at: www.sea-launch.com.

http://www.sea-launch.com/index.html