APSC Acknowledges Intergovernmental Agreement Approval by Australian and Russian - 23 May 2001
APSC congratulates the Australian Government and the Government of the Russian Federation on the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes. This Agreement constitutes a significant element of the overall framework within which the Australian space industry can develop.

APSC is an Australian company established to build, own, operate, and market a commercial space centre to support the needs of the international space launch services community. APSC has established an international consortium of companies with proven ability to build and operate a commercial space centre.

APSC's Russian technical partners include the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos), RSC Energia, the State Research and Production Space Rocket Centre (TsSKB Progress) and the Design Bureau of General Machine Building (KBOM). RSC Energia's distinguished history includes the initiation of the first human space flight by Yuri Gagarin on 12 April, 1961. TsSKB Progress manufactures the highly successful Soyuz family of launch vehicles. More than 1600 Soyuz rockets have been launched, with a success rate of some 99 percent. KBOM has more than forty years experience in developing and operating rocket launch facilities.

APSC's project has the strong support of the Australian Government, which has granted it Major Project Facilitation Status as well as put in place a statutory and regulatory approvals framework. It is also strongly supported by the Government of the Russian Federation. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov signed a decree on 10 March 2001 approving APSC's project.

Russian support for the Australian space industry is also reflected by the presence of Mr Yuri Koptev, Director-General of Rosaviakosmos, who is in Australia to sign on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation, the inter-government agreement with Australia.

APSC has secured exclusive worldwide marketing rights for the AURORA launch vehicle. AURORA is based on highly reliable launch system technology developed and used on other flight proven Russian launch systems. Components have heritage to Soyuz, Molynia, Proton and Zenit. AURORA will be capable of delivering satellites up to 12 tonnes to low earth orbit and of 4.5 tonnes to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

APSC is making excellent progress in developing its project for an international market that is steadily growing. It is confident that its ability to offer reliable space launch services that are highly competitive in price, commercial terms and conditions, and access to the strategic and high technology international space industry, will earn significant returns and benefits. There will also be significant direct returns to government through regional development and employment.

APSC plans to commence construction of a space centre in September 2007. APSC's first commercial launch is scheduled for the last quarter of 2009.

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