ILS's President Touts $2 Billion Firm Backlog

摘要

International Launch Services (ILS) expects to hit its target of seven commercial missions in 2009 and has a firm backlog of more than $2 billion for 25 launches including Telesat Canada's Nimiq 5 spacecraft, scheduled for launch this month, ILS President Frank McKenna said.rnThe Reston, Va., company, which markets Russia's Proton rocket and focuses on the heavier end of the telecommunications satellite market, expects to perform seven or eight launches in 2010 and the same number in 2011.rnMcKenna said past supply chain issues that disrupted deliveries of the Proton's Breeze-M upper-stage motor have been resolved. Ten Breeze-M units were manufactured in 2008, and 12 in 2009, he said.