Yuzhmash has received a contract for the production of equipment for two Antares missiles
The Ukrainian enterprise "A. M. Makarov Southern Machine-Building Plant" (Yuzhmash) has received an order for the production of the main structure of the first stage of the American Antares launch vehicle. This is reported by Defense Express with reference to the press service of the enterprise.
Yuzhmash noted that the customer had decided on the configuration of Antares and this made it possible to conclude an agreement. Konstantin Zavgorodny, Deputy General Director of the company, stressed that the previous products for the rocket were accepted without complaints, which made it possible to get a new contract.
Earlier, the former head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SCAU) and director of the private company Kurs Orbital, Vladimir Usov, spoke about the decline in economic indicators of Ukrainian enterprises in the rocket industry. According to him, Ukrainian enterprises need to be restructured to meet the realities of the market.
In July, the Russian government approved the negotiations of the Scientific and Production Association (NGO) Energomash with Orbital Sciences. The topic of the negotiations will be the conclusion of a contract for the use of RD-181M rocket engines. Russia also supplies RD-180 and RD-181 engines for Atlas and Antares rockets.
The single-use Antares launch vehicle was developed by Orbital Sciences. The rocket is designed to launch a payload weighing up to eight tons into low Earth orbit.
