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INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH SERVICES AND RUSSIAN PARTNERS EXPRESS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SPACE ACTIVITIES, COMMEMORATE HISTORIC FIRST COMMERCIAL SATELLITE LAUNCH ON RUSSIAN LAUNCH VEHICLE

RESTON, Virginia, April 9, 2021–Twenty-five years ago, on April 9, 1996, a combined Russian, American and European team made space history with the first launch of a Western satellite onboard a Russian rocket. The Proton launch vehicle carried the ASTRA 1F satellite for SES of Luxembourg, to geosynchronous transfer orbit with an early morning liftoff from Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The launch services for this milestone mission were conducted by International Launch Services (ILS), a U.S. company, headquartered in Reston, Virginia and established in 1995. The Proton launch vehicle, a U.S. Department of State licensed launch system, is manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, of Moscow.

Today, Proton has conducted 97 commercial missions for over 50 companies representing 25 countries across the globe, forging ongoing partnerships in international cooperation in space.

08 Mar 2021

ILS Celebrates International Women’s Day

Today, March 8, marks International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate women’s social, cultural, political, and economic achievements. International Women’s Day has been celebrated for well over a century; with the very first gathering in 1911 drawing over a million people. Today, the day is a collective celebration and belongs to everyone, everywhere. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Choose to Challenge”, a pledge to champion and recognize women’s achievements and create a more inclusive world.

Tiphaine Louradour, President of ILS, said “As the first woman president of ILS, I wholeheartedly support the “Choose to Challenge” call to action. I will continue to encourage young women in their pursuit and passion for technology, through STEM education, programs, and employment. At ILS, we have a company culture of diversity and mentorship. I’m proud to lead a team that stands behind inclusiveness and joins me in celebrating the role of women in aerospace. We choose to challenge!”

15 Jan 2021