For the first time ever a private Russian space company, Dauria Aerospace, has struck a deal on the sale of two of its satellites to a US company, Aquila Space, the Russian company's general director said Tuesday.

"The full price of the deal is between $4.35 million and $6 million depending on the amount of the licensing fees," Sergei Ivanov told RIA Novosti.

"We are happy to have completed the first private space contract executed in Russia," Ivanov added.

Dauria Aerospace is the company, which develops and manufactures satellite vehicles. The company also proposes a wide range of components for the satellites, including systems and transmitters.

Two Dauria Aerospace's Perseus-M satellites were launched in 2014 from Yasny launch facility in southern Russia. Since then the satellites have been flight tested and continue to be in operation. The launch allowed the company to test its electronics, software and space devices.

Perseus-M could be used to monitor the position of the vessels, track their movements and prevent them from collisions.

earlier report
Russia Plans to Grant Private Companies Access to Space Services Market
Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, will allow private companies access to the market of space services by 2020, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.

"By 2020, we plan to form an effective system of support for Russian corporations on the market of space services and allow private companies onto the market," Rogozin, who oversees the country's space industry, said during an innovation technology forum in Moscow.

He added that "the effective development and commercialization of space production and services" should not be forgotten.

According to him, in the near future, Russian President Vladimir Putin will get a report by Roscosmos on the draft Federal Space Program, in which all of the major priorities in this area will be described in detail.

Unlike in the United States, where private companies such as Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), actively develop the market of space services, this sector in Russia is represented exclusively by state-owned enterprises and organizations.

According to the Russian space agency Roscosmos, the Federal Space Program will have a budget of roughly $37 billion to last through 2025.

Source: Sputnik News