Sea Launch has resumed shipments of Zenit-3SL hardware in preparation for its return to launch operations in the third quarter of 2011.

The two-stage Zenit-2S booster, manufactured by PO Yuzhmash of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine and the Block-DM-SL manufactured by OAO Rocket and Space Corporation Energia of Moscow, Russian Federation departed the Port of Oktyabrsky on May 31, 2011 for transit to Sea Launch Home Port facilities in Long Beach, California where launch vehicle integration and combined operations take place.

Production oversight for the Zenit-3SL vehicle is carried out by Energia Logistics, with facilities in Moscow ("ELRF") and Long Beach, California ("ELUS"). Energia Logistics' responsibilities focus on closely monitoring hardware production schedules with regular visits to contractor and subcontractor facilities alongside Sea Launch customers to verify and assure on-time delivery and performance.

"Sea Launch has ten Zenit-3SL's on order, covering requirements for missions # 31 through # 40 which will satisfy existing and future customer requirements for launches through the end of 2013" said Kjell Karlsen, President of Sea Launch.

"We are very pleased with having achieved yet another important milestone towards the resumption of launch operations later this year".

Sea Launch Selected To Launch Intelsat 18
Sea Launch AG will launch the Intelsat 18 (IS-18) communications satellite in the second half of 2011 under a contract with Intelsat, the world's leading provider of fixed satellite services.

Built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, IS-18 is one of ten STAR GEO communications satellites ordered by Intelsat and will carry a C-band and a Ku-band payload and will be located in an orbital slot at 180 degrees East Longitude.

IS-18 will have a launch mass of 3,200 kg (7,055 lb.) and is designed for 15 years of service. IS-18's C-band payload will serve Eastern Asia, the Pacific and the Western United States and its Ku-band payload will serve French Polynesia, Eastern Australia and the United States.

The satellite will be lofted to an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit using the reliable Zenit-3SLB vehicle launching from Site 45 at the Zenit Launch Complex located within the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

"We are most pleased that Intelsat came to Sea Launch to provide the launch solution for IS-18," said Kjell Karlsen, president of Sea Launch. "This decision reflects our customer|s continued confidence in our renewed capabilities to provide quality launch services on schedule and with maximum flexibility."

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