Our Team

• 

  Kirk Pysher

  President

  

  Kirk Pysher

  President

  Pysher has 30 years of experience in the space industry. He received a Masters and Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Penn State University and obtained a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate from Purdue University.

• 

  Jim Kramer

  Vice President Engineering and Mission Assurance

  

  Jim Kramer

  Vice President Engineering and Mission Assurance

  Kramer has 30 years of career experience in launch vehicle design, program management, business development, commercial and government sales. He is responsible for re-establishing customer and insurance community trust and confidence in Proton launch services by improving reliability, insight and oversight.

• 

  John Palmé

  COO & Vice President — Programs and Operations

  

  John Palmé

  COO & Vice President — Programs and Operations

  Palmé has 20 years of experience in spacecraft and launch vehicle design, integration, test, launch and operations. For more than a decade, Palmé has overseen the reliability and quality programs and the integration and launch of commercial spacecraft on the ILS Proton launch vehicle.

• 

  Joe Acheson

  CFO & Vice President

  

  Joe Acheson

  CFO & Vice President

  Acheson had a high-profile role in executing both Lockheed Martin divestiture of ILS to Space Transport Inc. and Khrunichev purchase of ILS from Space Transport Inc. He enjoys sports and is a fan of the Washington Redskins and Atlanta Braves.

• 

  Peter Stier

  Vice President Sales

  

  Peter Stier

  Vice President Sales

  A veteran of the space industry for over 20 years, Stier has significant expertise in coordinating and executing business development strategies for commercial launch and telecommunications services and technology businesses. He has extensive business development, sales and marketing experience in Asia, EMEA, Russia, Brazil, India, Norway, Ukraine and Americas. 

• 

  Kile Thompson

  Acting General Counsel

  

  Kile Thompson

  Acting General Counsel

  Thompson provides legal counsel to all ILS business functions including compliance, contracts, sales and marketing, HR, and finance. He drafts and negotiates multi-million dollar master service agreements, and manages all legal aspects of ILS’s legal and regulatory compliance programs. 

Mission

ILS creates value for our Customers by providing dependable access to space through proven and innovative launch solutions.

International Launch Services (ILS) offers a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery.

ILS exclusively owns worldwide commercial and civil sales, and mission management of satellite launches using the following launch vehicles:

·      Proton Breeze M

·      Angara 1.2

Read more about our launch vehicles!

ILS provides a comprehensive set of launch services for global satellite operators. These include:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Mission Management
• Launch operations
• On-orbit delivery
• Legal
• Licensing
• Technical translation

Learn more about what makes ILS a leader in the global satellite launch industry!

Download ILS Fact Sheet

History

Created in 1995, ILS has played a pivotal role in the history of rocketry and satellite launches – we’ve worked with more than 45 companies in 22 countries, launching more than 400 missions.

Not only have we set the standard for Russian-American space cooperation, we’ve had unparalled success in the industry due to our core values:

·      Reliable: offering quality, heritage systems that are vertically integrated

·      Dedicated: customer focused; steady production and launch rates

·      Stable: sustainable business model spanning more than 20 years

·      Flexible: demonstrated ability to meet customers’ changing needs

·      Competitive: in services, price, terms and conditions

Key Dates:

2016

• 30 April: Khrunichev Space Center Celebrates 100 Years of Service

2015

• 17 December: International Launch Services Commemorates Landmark 50th Anniversary of Proton Launch Vehicle with Khrunichev

2013

• 15 April: 20th Anniversary of the Commercialization of the Proton Rocket

2002

• 30 December: First commercial launch of Proton M Breeze M

2001

• 7 April: First flight of the Proton M Breeze M

2000

• 6 June: First successful flight of Breeze M with Proton K

1998

• 20 November: Federal Proton launch of Zarya, the first component of the International Space Station

1996

• 9 April: First Commercial Launch for ILS Proton

1995

• 10 June: Creation of ILS

1965

• 16 July: First launch of Proton

ILS is a subsidiary of the Khrunichev Space Center (Khrunichev), a longstanding leader in the advancement of space programs.

Founded in 1916 and headquartered in Moscow, Khrunichev’s varied product lines include launch vehicles and launch vehicle upper stages, communication and earth observation satellites, rocket engines and space station modules.

We are dedicated to the success of your mission – Launch with ILS!