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The only launch of the Proton-M rocket with two communication satellites Eutelsat 5 West B and Mev-1 planned for 2018 was postponed until the beginning of 2019, a source at the cosmodrome informed.
As was previously reported, there was only one commercial Proton launch planned for 2018. at the end of the year the rocket was scheduled to put into orbit two satellites: Eutelsat 5 West B and MEV-1.
The clustered launch of the Proton-M rocket with the Breeze-M upper stage, launching two commercial telecommunications satellites Eutelsat 5 West B and Mev-1, which was announced earlier at the end of 2018, was postponed till the beginning of 2019, Russian RIA Novosti agency reports.
According to the current agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan, the Proton rocket is planned to be operated until 2025. But Dmitry Rogozin, the new CEO of Roscosmos, stated on 22 June that the Proton project is to be closed. However, he did not mention a deadline.
Currently, a single commercial Proton launch costs between $60 million and $65 million. The price of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch is similar. The SpaceX launch plan has 41 launches both for government and commercial customers.
